Padded Cells
by Yami hitokiri
Summary: AU After a series of strange accidents Yugi's sent to a mental hospital. What is this voice inside his head? What is hidden in the Red Wing? How are there other people with his powers? Shonenai YY RB MM KJ !COMPLETE!
1. Timidity

I'M BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK! YAY! (cries with happiness) God I really missed you guys. Those two long weeks where I didn't have anything to update, absolute torture.

For any of you who have read my other fics. This one is very very very different. It's more serious and mysterious and I think a lot more confusing. There's more plot and it's slower but I think it's awesome. I actually wrote it before HINAFTYCC over the course of two years with _lots_ of editing so be prepared for random changes in writing style. The chapters are also a lot longer (almost twice as much) but so are the number of chapters,

I will only say this once so listen up, THIS STORY HAS **SHOUNEN AI** STUFF! THAT'S MANxMAN, HOMOSEXUAL STUFF! **IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT DON'T READ! **

Japanese terms in this chapter:

Sensei- suffix for doctor or teacher

San- Ms. or Mr.

Chan- cute suffix, usually used for girls or children but Jounouchi actually calls Yami no Malik "Malik-chan" in the Japanese version! AWESOMENESS!

Makeinu- literally means "Loser dog" Kaiba calls Jounouchi that Duelist Kingdom

Aibou- partner, Yami no Yugi calls Yugi this all the time in the anime

Just a note, I will not be using any Japanese words except for names, a few insults and ending suffixes. I only know a limited about of Japanese and when people start having full out conversations in Japanese in their stories I sometimes get very confused. Not that I'm against it or anything!

This story is brought to you by Reflective Spoons: reminding you not to choke on live fish and that I do not own Jell-O or any of the Yuugiou characters.

This chapter is deticated to Hell's Sorrow who sent me many supportive and enthusiastic emails! THANK YOU!

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**Chyaputa 1: Timidity**

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"You can wait right here, the doctor will see you in a moment," the nurse said as she exited through the door at the other end of the room. 

Yugi glanced around nervously at the spotless white walls. The room had no windows and no furniture other than an uncomfortable metal chair, and a desk. Yugi gingerly sat down in the chair in front of the vacant desk, waiting for his inevitable doom.

'Why would they bring me to a place like this?'

Yugi shifted nervously around in his chair, golden bangs swinging, his large purple eyes darting between the floor and the ominous door standing across the room. Everything was so clean and white, and quiet. So silent that not even the distant monotonous ticking of a clock could be heard.

Finally the door opened and an Arabic woman in a long white coat walked in. She had neat long black hair and copper skin; in one hand she carried a clipboard. Her deep blue eyes gave off a cool apathetic expression.

Yugi gulped apprehensively.

"Hello Yugi, my name is Doctor Ishizu Ishtar. I am going to be your personal physiatrist for the remainder of your stay here," The doctor stated as she sat down at the desk in front of Yugi. "I hope we can get to know each other very well," she said trying to keep a small friendly smile on her face, but her eyes remained as indifferent as ever.

"It's nice to meet you too," Yugi answered back, trying to be polite as he shifted nervously in his chair again.

"I want you to understand, Yugi, that anything you reveal in your sessions with me will be completely confidential and that we would never want you to feel like you are being judged. We are only here to help you…"

Yugi gave his wrist a little squeeze and looked down at the floor.

"Are you alright Yugi?" Ishizu asked, peering over the top of her clipboard.

"Oh yes, I'm fine. Just nervous."

"There is no reason to be nervous, we will do everything in our position to make this transaction as easy as possible for you," she answered as though she was reciting it for the hundredth time today.

"Please Ishtar-sensei, how long will I actually have to stay here?" Yugi asked softly. He felt the doctor look up at him but kept his eyes nailed to the floor. There was a pause and Yugi heard her put the clipboard down on the desk.

"Yugi, do you know why you are here?" she asked studying him with her sharp blue eyes. Yugi didn't say anything. He knew the answer but it wasn't what Ishtar-sensei wanted to hear.

"Your grandfather, Mutou-san, has specifically requested you come here. He is worried about you, Yugi. And I will not lie to you," Ishizu explained firmly. "You are a troubled young man who needs help. You have a special case that we have only seen in a selective group of individuals…" she paused. "But there is still hope for you to live a normal life if you get the right treatment."

"Does that require a lot medication, Ishtar-sensei?" Yugi asked cautiously. He suddenly had a horrifying vision of himself laying on a white table with needles and cords sticking into his flesh. Yugi shivered.

Ishizu hesitated again. "I can't give you the exact prescription until I've finished my examination but I imagine there will be some pills, standard medication but nothing more advanced as long as you cooperate, not unless I believe that it is absolutely necessary." Yugi didn't like the sound of that.

"But there is no need to start any of this today. Let's wait until you have a chance to settle in," Ishtar suggested and stood up. Yugi wondered if he should follow her.

"I'll get a nurse to take you to your room," Ishizu said and exited through the door she had come in.

(-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-)

"Here it is," the shapely brunette nurse announced as she threw open the door. The depressing room was much like the rest of the building, small with white walls. There was a small table and chair in the center of the floor and a very uncomfortable bed in the corner, all securely nailed down to the floor. Yugi dropped the few things that he had been allowed to bring on the floor next to his bed.

"We'll get your clothes by tomorrow, but for today just wear what you have," the nurse explained and then looked at her watch. "Oh, look at the time! It's almost 12:15. Come, I'll take you down to the cafeteria and you can go eat lunch with the other patients. You know, get to know them, maybe make a few friends!"

"Well I…" Yugi doubted that he would make any friends here. He would rather stay in his room; he really wasn't in the mood for meeting new people. But before he could say anything else the nurse had already pushed him out of the room and half way down the hall.

"Come on, it will be fun!" she urged.

"Um…ok," Yugi stammered.

"Wonderful! I'll show you the way," she continued in a cheerful voice still pulling him down the hall after her. "Welcome to the Domino Mental Hospital."

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Yugi entered through a pair of mental doors into a long white hall. There were long metal tables lined up around the room with rows of metal chairs surrounding them. As he walked in, Yugi saw lines of white-clothed patients gobbling down their food while nurses and doctors pushed metal carts, delivering food and medication among them.

Yugi hesitated. As soon as he had entered the room stares shifted his way and the whispers and mumblings had increased throughout the tables. What were they saying about him? Yugi suddenly became very self-conscious of how short and scrawny he was. He had always been easy prey for bullies.

"Oh look, there's an empty seat over there," the nurse pointed out to Yugi, pushing him forward.

'Hopefully not next to anyone homicidal,' Yugi pleaded silently. The moment they reached the table it suddenly became quite clear to Yugi why the seat had been empty.

Sitting next to the empty chair was a stocky blonde man with an evil sneering face. The red, white and blue bandana that was tied around his head made look he should have been in an American biker gang. Beside the blond man was a very large teenager with mean little eyes and messy brown hair. Across from him was a small kid who had spiky blue hair and pale skull-like face that twitched excitedly.

"Keith, Kozuka, Ushio, this is Yugi. He's a new patient at the hospital. Would you all be kind enough to take care of him for me?" she asked sweetly.

All three pairs of sinister eyes turned on him. In unison, they all grinned evilly.

"Of course we will. It would be our pleasure," the brown haired teen answered in a harsh voice. The skull boy across from him started making a strange popping hiccuping noise that must have been an evil snicker.

Yugi gulped again. "Mazaki-san, I really don't think-"

"Wonderful!" the nurse exclaimed, oblivious to the psychos' evil intentions. "I'm sure you all will be great friends! Have a good time!" she said and left.

"Um, Mazaki-san-" Yugi called desperately, trying to bring the nurse back to rescue him.

"Oh don't worry, we will take good care of him!" the blond man called over Yugi's small meekly voice, imitating the nurse's cheerful tone as he pulled Yugi into the empty seat next to him. With a sharp eerie twist, the blonde's head swerved dangerously around, staring right into Yugi's face.

"Hello," the man said, grinning mischievously.

"Um, h-hello," Yugi stammered. He wished, very much, to be anywhere else at that moment. The creepy skull faced kid leaned across the table too, still grinning madly.

"So, you're Yugi, huh?" the American blonde asked.

"Y-yes."

"What you in for?" the equally large and scary spiky haired brunette asked.

"Umm… w-what do you mean?" Yugi stammered nervously.

"I mean what have you got! You know, why they sent you here?"

"Oh!" Yugi exclaimed, feeling slightly stupid. "Ummm…"

'What _am_ I in for?' Yugi thought. 'Would would they call it anyway?'

"I-I don't really know…um… yet…" Yugi answered nervously, trying to skid away from the question.

"You don't know?" the blond man laughed harshly.

"You look pretty normal to me," the brunette said nastily and leaned forward too. "Except for this hair…" He grabbed a fist fill of Yugi's abnormally spiky multi colored hair and yanked on it hard. Yugi squeaked in pain and the skull kid twitched excitedly and started his popping snickering imitation again.

"Shut up, idiot!" the teenager growled and the skull kid squeaked and stopped.

"You see, Ushio here has an anger management problem," the blonde man explained, putting a threatening arm round Yugi's shoulders, the brunette finally letting go of Yugi's red and black locks. "Doesn't know how to control his temper. _Totally_ unstable. Sometimes he just has to take it out on something…" he said suggestively.

Yugi tried to gulp again but found there was no long any moisture in his mouth.

"And Kozuka… well, you can see him. He's all messed up in the head," he explained tapping his forehead. The skull kid grinned showing lots of yellowing sharp teeth. Yugi shivered.

"But don't worry, we'll take good care of you," Ushio said grinning too.

"Yeah, we'll make you feel right at home…" Keith sneered. Yugi shrunk under his sharp stare, intimidated.

'Someone help me!' Yugi wanted to scream.

"There you are, Yugi!" a voice said and a friendly hand clapped him on the shoulder. Yugi and Keith turned around. Standing there was a tall teenager with thick blond hair and rich brown eyes that Yugi had certainly had never seen before.

'How does he know my name?' Yugi wondered, puzzled yet extremely grateful.

"You're not welcome here, dog-boy!" Ushio mocked, grinning. Then other members of the table burst out laughing.

The blond teen's eye twitched.

"THAT'S IT USHIO! YOU'RE GONNA DIE!" the teenager snarled putting up his fists, about to lunge forward but another hand shot out and pulled him back.

"Hey, calm down Jounouchi!" urged another teen behind him with dark brown hair. He had one arm around the blonde's neck and the other restraining one the blonde's arms.

"Hey let go of me Honda! Ow! That hurts!" the blonde struggled.

"Do you want all the nurses to come over here?" the teen holding him back hissed urgently.

"Well excuse me, for trying to look out for my roommate's safety!" Jounouchi snapped furiously.

"Roommate?" Keith asked surprised, looking from the blond teen to Yugi. Yugi was just as taken aback as Keith was. He was pretty sure there had been only one bed in his room.

"Yeah, you heard me! Yugi's MY roommate! Got a problem with that, asshole!" the blonde hissed back. He leaned forward giving Yugi a tiny wink out of the corner of his eye. Yugi blinked, very confused.

"Why you little…" Ushio snarled and stood up.

"You want a fight, Ushio. Come and get it!" the blonde teenager named Jounouchi motioned, still struggling against the arms that restrained him.

"What's going on here!" a voiced snapped. The group turned around and saw the pretty brown haired nurse who had shown Yugi to the lunchroom. Her normally cheerful voice suddenly contained a sharp edge, her light blue eyes flashing with responsibility. "Now, now, break it up. We are all just trying to have a peaceful lunch here, right?" she said walking over to them and pushing Ushio back into his seat with the air of mother lecturing her children.

"Aww, we weren't doing anything wrong, Anzu-san, we were just talking, that's all. It was Jounouchi who's making up all the trouble," Keith explained smoothly.

"Excuse me!" Jounouchi growled trying to lunge at him again.

"Cool it, Jounouchi!" Honda hissed barely managing to hold him back.

"That's enough!" Mazaki said sternly. "Now, it is easy to see that feelings have been hurt here. I believe some apologies are in order," she instructed expectantly as though she was talking to a group of kindergartners. "From both of you," she ordered sternly, looking from Jounouchi to Ushio.

"Sorry," they both grumbled reluctantly, avoiding eye contact with each other.

"Good! Now, don't you feel better about yourselves!" she said, back to her old cheerful self.

"Yeah whatever," Jounouchi mumbled "Hey Honda! Let go of me already!" the blonde hissed at his friend. The brown haired teenager reluctantly released him. "Heh, you guys were lucky this time, but next time you better watch out," Jounouchi sneered as he pulled the still very confused Yugi to his feet. "See you later, girls!" The blonde teenager said giving them a small mock bow and the coolly striding away, taking Yugi and the other teen with him.

"Jounouchi! Now what did we just talk about!" the nurse called glaring at his retreating back as Keith sneered and Ushio cracking his knuckles nastily in retort.

"Come on, Yugi. You can sit at _our_ table," Jounouchi said giving the psychos table one last ugly glare.

"Thanks," Yugi said smiling relived. "I didn't know how I was going to get away from them." The golden haired teen laughed.

"No problem! Those guys are real jerks. You wouldn't have lasted a day here with them. But don't worry!" he boasted, grinning stupidly, "I, Jounouchi-sama, will look after you!"

"Ahh…." Yugi paused not knowing how to respond to this.

The brown haired teen whacked his friend on the back of the head. "Yeah right! You can't even keep yourself out of trouble!" Jounouchi mumbled darkly at him, stuffing his hands into his pockets.

Yugi grinned. 'Jounouchi doesn't seem that bad.'

"Look, Otogi nabbed us a table," Honda said pointing over to another teenager about the same age as Honda and Jounouchi with glossy black hair tied into a high ponytail in the back of his head. The three of them walked over to the table and he looked up.

"What took you guys so long?" he asked scooting over to let Jounouchi sit down beside him. "I had to scare off a Haga and Ryuzaki to get this spot! Huh? Who's he?" Otogi asked his bright green eyes finally spotting Yugi.

"Oh, he's Yugi," Jounouchi explained. "I rescued him from the three gorillas."

"Stirring up trouble again?" Otogi asked mildly, tucking a long strand of black hair behind his ear.

"I was not!" Jounouchi cried outraged.

"You're going to get yourself killed one day," the black haired teenager said sighing disappointedly. "By the way I'm Otogi, nice to meet you," he said holding out his hand.

Yugi shook it. "Nice to meet you too."

"Food's here!" Honda cried as the nurse, Mazaki, stopped her cart full of trays of food and medication at their table.

"Sheesh, you guys are such pigs," Mazaki said as she passed out trays containing fried rice, carrot sticks, a juice box and Jell-O to everybody.

"But that's why you love us, Anzu-chan!" Jounouchi said innocently. Mazaki rolled her eyes but smiled.

"And here are your meds," she handing out small plastic cups to Honda, Jounouchi and Otogi. "Yugi, you just got here so Ishtar-sensei will prescribe you your medication tomorrow."

"Aw yes! Drugs!" Jounouchi sighed enthusiastically and swallowed four or five pills in one huge gulp. Mazaki sighed but she was smiling as she pushed her cart away.

"Mazaki-san seems nice," Yugi said picking up his chopsticks.

"Yeah, she's okay, a little bossy at times but she's better than most," Honda agreed.

"You're having sessions with Ishtar-sensei?" Otogi asked. Yugi nodded.

"Really? She usually only handles the really serious patients," Honda said shoving fried rice into his mouth.

"She does?" Yugi asked surprised.

"Oh yeah, she usual only takes Red patients, barely even bothers with Yellow," Honda explained.

"Red? Yellow?" Yugi asked curiously.

"Level of patients," Otogi explained. "Green, that's us, can roam around the hospitals and have lunch together. Yellows can walk around too but they have to be constantly watched and don't do any group sessions and Red… well, they've been judged too dangerous to be with other patients. They're not allowed to come out at all."

"Oh," Yugi said staring at his food; suddenly feeling a little depressed.

'Do they think I'm dangerous?' Yugi wondered.

"I wonder why she's working with you. She usually never even leaves the Red wing," Honda pondered his mouth over flowing with bits of carrot and rice.

"That's cause she's the one who works with the aliens," Jounouchi said seriously, nodding in understanding. Honda and Otogi stared at their friend for a second and then suddenly burst out laughing.

"What?" Yugi asked blinking, maybe he had heard him wrong.

"It's true!" Jounouchi cried angrily. "This hospital is just a cover but the government is really funding them to do experiments on the aliens!" he explained leaning closer to Yugi, who was the only one not laughing. "That's why you can always hear screams coming from that hallway at night," he said as his voice dropped and he pointed to a pair of electric doors in a back corner of the lunchroom. "They're in there right now. Cutting open their flesh, looking at their insides."

"And I guess their spaceships are in here too?" Honda asked trying to suppress giggles.

"Naw, they would be too close by if the aliens accidentally escaped. They're in that pet store a few blocks down," Jounouchi explained, still very serious. Honda and Otogi doubled over laughing again and Honda even fell off the side of his chair onto the floor. Jounouchi growled.

"You may laugh now but when they escape you'll be sorry, you non-believers! They'll take over this world one day!" he snarled but Honda and Otogi were too paralyzed by their laughter to respond. "You believe me, don't you Yugi?"

"Um... Of course I do, Jounouchi-kun," Yugi answered uncertainly. Jounouchi beamed at him.

"Don't encourage him, Yugi," Otogi warned wiping tears from his eyes. "I've heard he suffers from severe paranoia."

"And a powerful imagination," Honda added.

"I'm not imagining things! You'll see! You'll all see, one day! There are aliens in this hospital!"

Someone chuckled softly behind them.

"Scaring little kids again, Jounouchi," said a cool voice. Jounouchi whirled around in his chair, growling.

"Kaiba!" Jounouchi snarled as yet another teenager with neatly trimmed brown hair and cold blue eyes approached their table. He had a slenderfigurethat gave off a powerful yetarrogant unapproachable air. He threw Jounouchi a cool smirk.

"Is that all you can do, makeinu? Growl?" Kaiba's smirk widening as he walked away.

"Oh Kaiba, that bastard! I'll get him some day, I KNOW WHERE YOU LIVE!" Jounouchi yelled after him shaking with anger.

"I should hope so," Honda snickered

"He's Jounouchi's real roommate" Otogi explained to Yugi. "Know matter how much he tries to deny it."

"Would you like to trade?" Jounouchi threatened darkly.

"No thanks," Otogi said grinning. Jounouchi grumbled darkly crossing his arms over his chest and leaning back in his chair.

"I heard that outside the hospital Kaiba's really rich, like a billionaire or something," Honda said shoveling food into his mouth.

"Really?" Yugi asked curious.

"Yeah, he owns his own company and everything!" Honda explained.

"Doesn't stop him from being an ass," Jounouchi snarled, eyes glaring moodily down at his food.

"So, who is your roommate Yugi?" Otogi asked Yugi curiously.

"I don't know, I don't think I have one…" Yugi admitted. Jounouchi gaped at him.

"Pleeeeeeeeeeeease switch with me!" Jounouchi whined grabbing the front of Yugi's shirt and pulling the smaller teenager across the table towards him. "Please Yugi, I'm desperate! You have no idea what its like waking up to the bastard's ugly face every morning! Pleeeeeeease!"

"Sorry Jounouchi-kun, I don't think they would let us trade," Yugi answered, smiling apologetically.

"Yeah, I guess your right…" Jounouchi pouted, letting go of Yugi's shirt.

"Oh come on Jounouchi, it can't be that bad," Otogi said trying to fix his hair in the reflection of his spoon.

"Yeah, now you two have a chance to bond," Honda reminded him cheesily with a sly grin. Jounouchi made a sound of revulsion like he was choking on a live fish.

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"Thank you, Mazaki-san, for showing me back to my room," Yugi said standing in the doorway to his prison.

"Oh please, call me Anzu," she insisted, smiling warmly and waving away his formality. "I'll come wake you up tomorrow at 8:00 and bring you to breakfast, okay?" she said. Yugi nodded.

"Well, good night, Anzu-chan."

"Good night, Yugi."

He closed the door and turned on the light switch. Someone had laid a pair of neatly folded white pajamas on the bed.Yugi sighed and picked them up.He soon spotted a door in the corner of hiscell that lead to a small cramped bathroom with a toilet, sink and mirror and a tiny shower. After taking his newly acquired pajamas and his toothbrush and toothpaste he went to the bathroom, brushed his teeth and took a short shower. He was walking out of the bathroom drying his hair when something out of the corner of his eye made him look around.

'That's funny, I thought I saw…' Yugi pondered, looking around.

"I'm just getting sleepy," he muttered yawning again and turned off the light and climbed in bed.

"Good night," he muttered to no one in particular and fell asleep.

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Pair of dark red eyes watched the boy as he turned out the light and climbed into bed. They twinkled with amusement as Yugi muttered goodnight to the dark room and lay asleep. A transparent hand landed on the boy's head.

_How was you're day?_

"Pretty... good..." the semi unconscious Yugi mumbled, rolling over in his bed trying to get comfortable. "Wasn't as bad... as I expected..."

The owner of the eyes smiled.

"Still..." Yugi continued barely whispering, his eyes still closed. "Wish I was home..."

The eyes stared thoughtfully down at the boy, not a flicker of emotion could be seen behind their surface.

_Good night, aibou..._

Yugi smiled in his sleep and curled his arm around his pillow.

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END OF THE FIRST OF MANY CHAPTERS! YAHOOOOOO!

For all who don't know Mazaki is Anzu's last name. Japanese people call people by their last names a lot that's why Ishizu is usually referred to as Ishtar-sensei.

This chapter has changed a lot. In my first draft of the first scene (which I quickly disposed of) Kaiba was the doctor but you'll see why Ishizu makes a much better doctor and Kaiba a patient.

I realized well into the writing of this story that it could have been easily placed at a prison instead of a Mental Hospital. (shrug) But I think I like it better in mental hospital anyway.

I will update again in two weeks, not necessarily on the same day though.

REVIEW PLEASE AND TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK!


	2. Queen's Knight

HELLO ALL YOU WONDERFUL PEOPLE! I got sooooooooooooo many reviews! (squeals and dances) I'm not going to do everyone individually cause that would take a long time and I'm not sure if I'm allowed to.

At least two people went: "What? _Another_ insane asylum fic?" (of course some said "How original!")I know actually what you mean, while I was working on this one I saw at least five others that were in an insane asylum and I was freaking out thinking they be just like mine, well guess what? THEY WEREN'T! So don't give up on me yet or on your own stories forall you fellow writers! The setting in my story may be in an insane asylum but it will soon move to a _much _different location. (cough, cough) Well another person pointed at that the people in the asylum didn't seem very insane, that's kinda true, but may I remind you that the _really_ insane ones are in Red Wing. Most of the characters don't have specific disorders, mostly cause that's not the main point of the story. (eats cake and ice cream given by Atemu Yugi Lover34)

And finally WHEN WILL YOU PEOPLE LEARN! _ME_ have a fic WITHOUT BAKURA? (has heart attack) No, no, he'll be there don't worry.

Just a note, this fic is mostly effected by the first series of Yuugiou. (and I can spell it any way I want)

This chapter brought to you by the wonderous game of PSO and tea ((the drink not the person))remining you that Yugioh GX sucks pond scum through a straw, a dirty straw,and I don't own the wonderous original Yuugiou characters.

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**Chyaputa 2: Queen's Knight**

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"Go ahead, pick a card, any card," Pegasus said spreading out a deck of playing cards out onto the table. 

"No I'm sorry, I really can't..." Yugi tried to explain but the man wouldn't listen.

"Come on, please, just once, I'm getting better I promise. Please just one more time," he pleaded the young gray haired man, looking strangely threatening with a large black eye patch covering one of his eyes.

"Okay, okay, but only one more time," Yugi answered reluctantly, Jounouchi snickering over his shoulder. Yugi picked a card.

"No!" the American exclaimed. Yugi and Jounouchi cringed in surprise. "Not that one!"

"Why not?" Jounouchi asked critically.

"Because you're not supposed to pick that one!" Pegasus shouted, glaring at the blonde menacingly with his one good eye. Jounouchi cringed and hid behind Yugi's small form.

"Okay, how about this one?" Yugi pointed to yet another face down card.

"Nope, not that one either."

"This one?" Yugi asked bored pointing to another random card.

"Um… yeah, that one's fine," the man answered after a moment. Yugi sighed and picked the card up.

"Memorize it, show it to Jounouchi, don't let me see it," he instructed shuffling the rest of the cards into a neat pile. Yugi showed the card to Jounouchi. Then placing both hands around his head Pegasus closed his eyes. "I am now going to read you're mind…" he explained mystically.

Jounouchi snorted with disbelief. Pegasus shot a glare at him.

"Quiet! This requires concentration," he hissed and started to hum loudly.

"_This_ is ridiculous," Jounouchi groaned.

"Your card is…" Pegasus announced dramatically, "The Three of Clubs!"

Yugi looked at his card again. "Nope."

"No?" the man asked confused.

"It's _not_ the Three of Clubs," Jounouchi repeated loudly and slowly as if Pegasus was deaf.

"Oh, well then it's obviously the…" He screwed his face up in concentration again. "The Jack of Hearts!"

Yugi looked at the card again. "Nope."

"Seven of Spades?"

"No."

"King of Diamonds?"

"Not even close," Jounouchi commented.

"Twelve of Hearts?"

"Sorry," Yugi said and flipped the card around. "It's the Eight of Diamonds."

"Goddamn! I was so close…" the man said whispering to himself in his native English tongue. "Just one more, I'm sure I can get it. Come on just one more time."

"No, I'm sorry, Pegasus-san," Yugi refused trying not to insult the man. "I really don't have time," Yugi explained slowly backing away from the table.

"Please just one more time, I was so close. Please just-"

"He said, _no_!" Jounouchi repeated fiercely. Pegasus frowned and finally turned and started walking away.

"I don't understand, it always worked before…" Pegasus mumbled to himself, shuffling his deck of cards sadly.

Jounouchi breathed. "Phew, that guy is really creepy."

"You didn't need to snap at him Jounouchi-kun," Yugi said.

"That guy needed it, believe me," Jounouchi explained knowledgeably. "You're too nice to people Yugi, you got to start getting tough or people will walk all over you."

"Oh, I couldn't do that," Yugi protested slumping in his chair.

"Mutou Yugi," a nurse examining a clipboard called out to the people in the waiting room.

"That's me," Yugi announced sitting up and rising his hand.

"Ishtar-sensei will see you in a moment," the women explained. Yugi nodded.

"Thanks for coming with me, Jounouchi," Yugi said. The blonde grinned.

"My pleasure, couldn't leave you alone, could I? Not with that Ishtar-sensei around," he muttered darkly.

Yugi blinked. "What's wrong with her?"

"She's the one cutting up all the _aliens_, remember?" he explained as if this were the most obvious thing in the world. "You got to watch out for her," he advised secretly to Yugi in a whisper.

"I met her before and she didn't seem so bad to me," Yugi explained but Jounouchi just shook his head.

"Mutou Yugi," The nurse called again. "Ishtar-sensei will see you now." Yugi got up and walked toward the nurse.

"Good luck," Jounouchi cheered behind him. Yugi gave him a small wave before following the nurse down the hallway to the physiatrist's office.

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Jounouchi looked up at the clock impatiently.

'Yugi's late,' he thought seriously, chin resting upon his fist. Honda noticed where he was looking.

"What is it now, Jounouchi? Do you think Ishtar-sensei's had enough time to dissect Yugi's brains yet?" he said snickering.

"I hadn't even thought of that!" Jounouchi exclaimed seriously, sitting up stunned in his chair. Honda groaned and shook his head sadly.

"Don't get so excited," Otogi muttered wearily, combing out his hair as carefully and as lovingly as one might stroke a cat. "Look, there he is now." Jounouchi jumped up in his seat to turn around. Yugi's slightly slouched form was gradually making its way toward them, walking slowly and staring at the floor.

"Yugi!" Jounouchi exclaimed as he approached. "Are you alright?" he asked seriously, checking the back of his head for incisions. "She didn't open you up, did she?" he asked worriedly. Yugi shook his head gloomily.

"No, I'm fine…" he answered, dropping down on a bench beside the table.

"The food's here," Honda said helpfully, seeing the depression on Yugi's face as well. "Only came a few minutes ago. Should be still warm too!"

"Thanks," Yugi muttered as a tray was passed to him. Jounouchi watched as his vertically challenged friend moodily picked through his noodles from across the table.

'The alien lady must have gotten to him,' Jounouchi speculated. Honda had just made a nasty comment about Otogi's hair and Otogi had proceeded to straggle him but not even that had been enough to break Jounouchi out of his thinking trance. Yugi was looking down into his cup of tea, perhaps pondering if the liquid was hot enough to burn him or if there was enough of liquid in the cup to drown himself.

Yugi's mind was too preoccupied to notice as Otogi began to beat Honda with his comb. His session with Ishtar hadn't been so bad until she had brought up the subject of his school.

"_Oh, its nothing important. Like I said some people just don't like me that well," Yugi explained trying to remain lighthearted. "Some guys just like to push people around for fun… and, you know, take their money and stuff…"_

_Ishtar put down her clipboard sternly. "And what happens when you don't give them money or when you don't have it?" _

"_Look, it's not that big of a deal," Yugi tried to explained. _

"_Bullying is a big deal, Yugi," Ishtar explained seriously. "First it's just name calling, then its a little push in the hall, then they want money, if you let yourself be shoved around and picked on, the result could be serious injures, Yugi," she explained very sternly, blue eyes constantly examining him. "Did you tell anyone?"_

"_No, it wasn't a big deal," he muttered quietly, very ashamed. _

"_You can't let people push you around," she said sternly. "You do know, if you're getting bullied here you can tell me." _

"_Yes, I know, Ishtar-sensei," Yugi mumbled. _

Every adult sense kindergarten had told him that, it didn't make Yugi any more inclined to follow their advice.

"_Yugi, can you tell me why the bullies have stopped attacking you recently?"_

How was he supposed to answer that question?

'They suddenly got tried of picking on me?' Yugi pondered humorlessly. How could he honestly answer a question that he didn't know the answer to?

"_Do you know what happened to them?"_

It's not like he had lied to her. He was actually telling the truth. He really didn't know what had happened to them. If he didn't know, if he couldn't remember, how was he supposed to answer?

'What did she expect me to say? Yes, I'm a cold-blooded killer, please lock me up forever, put me in a straight jacket and never let me see the light of day again?' Meanwhile Jounouchi was still watching his new friend across the table.

'I've got to cheer him up,' Jounouchi concluded after his several minutes of hard thoughtful thinking. He felt a new fire burning in him, a new reason for his existence in this cruel prison.

"Hey Yugi, do you have next period off?" Jounouchi asked already a plan formulating in his mind.

Yugi looked up out of his depressed stupor. "Huh? Oh yeah, I'm free for the rest of the day."

"Then lets go to the game room!" Jounouchi said enthusiastically. Honda and Otogi looked up from their quarrel.

"Great idea!" Honda exclaimed. "It's bingo day!"

"Honda, nobody cares about bingo. It's an old person game," Otogi explained. Honda glared at him.

"Hey! There are lots of hip young people playing it too!" he protested. Otogi rolled his eyes.

"A game room?" Yugi asked, a lot more interested now. "I love games! What kinds of games do they have?"

Jounouchi grinned; already his plan was a success. "You can see when we get there! We can go after lunch!"

"Really?" Yugi asked excitedly. Jounouchi nodded vigorously. "Wow, a game room..." Yugi muttered to himself and began to eat enthusiastically.

(-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-)

"Well, here it is!" Jounouchi said opening his arms out wide. Yugi followed closely behind him.

"Wow..." Yugi said eyes widening with anticipation.

The room was about half the size of the lunchroom. Tables had been set up in the space with various board games on of their surfaces and several arcade games along the walls. In one corner a nurse was calling out numbers on little balls while eagerly awaiting patients placed tiny blue tokens on their bingo sheets. Other staff members were scattered around the room observing the games and making sure the patients were using them correctly.

"Bingo, here I come!" Honda shouted gleefully and ran across the room to get his own bingo sheet. Otogi, again, rolled his eyes, flipped his hair and then walked over to a table where patients were playing some kind of game with a deck of cards and dice.

"So, what do you want to do first?" Jounouchi asked. Yugi looked around the room again, his eyes three times the size than they had been when he had been contemplating his death by tea drowning.

"That looks fun!" Yugi said excitedly running over to a fighting adventure arcade game. "They have one of these in the department store near my house. I love this game!"

"Alright!" Jounouchi announced importantly, rolling up his sleeves, "I'll go first!"

"Go Jounouchi-kun!" Yugi cheered jumping up and down next to the machine. Five minutes later Jounouchi had lost three times, in very first level, in the first stage.

"Its okay Jounouchi-kun, you tried your best," Yugi said trying to comfort him.

"I think this game cheats," he muttered darkly. "There is no way anyone can get past that gate thing at level one!"

"Let me try," Yugi said hopped up to the controls. "Ah, here! There's a hidden chest behind this rock," Yugi pointed to his friend as the screen light up and proclaimed that he had found a magic sword.

"Really? I didn't see that…"

Yugi's tiny magician battled past the Gate of Betrayal and through the Labyrinth of Darkness; Yugi's large purple eyes always fixed upon the screen.

"Wow, Yugi! You're really good!" Jounouchi exclaimed.

Yugi grinned as the game sounded a series of loud screeching beeps as he burned up five green goblin guards at one time and Yugi's score rose. A few minutes later Yugi had a small crowd around him and Jounouchi, even one or two nurses stopped to watch Yugi play.

"You're awesome, Yugi!" cheered Jounouchi. The crowd around Yugi cheered too and Yugi's face turned bright red.

"Its nothing, really, I'm just good at this game…" he protested trying to enter his name into the machine as multiple people tried to slap him appreciatively on the back. Jounouchi laughed nudging his elbow into Yugi's side.

"Nothing? Yugi, you got in the High Scores on your first try!" Jounouchi said grinning broadly. "What do you want to do now?"

"Why don't we check out the board games?" Yugi suggested.

"Okay," Jounouchi agreed and they walked over to where most of the board games were being played. "Looks like most of them are crowded though."

"What about over there?" Yugi asked pointing to a pair of empty tables with chess sets on them.

"Oh," Jounouchi said uneasily. "Um… I don't want to go over there."

"Why not?" Yugi asked curiously. Jounouchi pointed to a loan dark figure at the end of the second table. It was Kaiba, the cold stoic teenage from the day before. He had a chess game set up in front of him and it looked like he was playing by himself.

"Its okay, Jounouchi-kun. We won't bother him," Yugi assured his friend before walking over to the chess tables anyway, Jounouchi mouthing silent protests behind him.

"Hey, Kaiba-kun," Yugi greeted before Jounouchi could stop him. Kaiba raised his head and stared at Yugi for a second and then his eyes drifted over to Jounouchi and he scowled.

"What are you doing over here, idiot?" he said coolly. Jounouchi growled.

"For you're information, Kaiba," he spat like he was trying to get rid of some disgusting taste in his mouth. "Me and Yugi were just going to play chess by _ourselves_, thank you very much. So if you don't mind we'll just go and play happily over here, away from _you_."

"I see enough of your face at night, Jounouchi," he explained with equal disgustance. "I thank ever moment I don't have to look at it," he said coolly again and turned his attention back to his own game. Jounouchi snarled about to say something else but Yugi pulled him away to end of the other table.

"Oh I'm going to KILL that bastard!" Jounouchi growled, glaring at Kaiba from across the tables.

"Just forget about him, come on lets play," Yugi said setting up the pieces on the chessboard. "You want to be white or black?"

"Which one goes first?" Jounouchi asked.

"White," Yugi answered.

"Then come my little white minions! Together we will storm the fortress of darkness! Besides," Jounouchi said logically to his tiny white army, "there is no way Yugi can be as good at chess as he is at arcade games." But it turned out Yugi was just as good, if not better, at chess as he was at arcade games. No matter how hard Jounouchi tried there was no way he could get close enough to Yugi's side to even check his king. In the end, Yugi had won three games and Jounouchi had won none.

"God Yugi, how did you get so good?" Jounouchi asked in the middle of their fourth game.

"My grandfather owns a game shop and he loves chess," Yugi explained moving his rook to capture Jounouchi's queen. "And we used to play together a lot."

"ARG!" Jounouchi exclaimed laying his head on the table at the loss of his queen. "I give up. You win," he sighed. He rolled his head to the side and spotted Kaiba watching them from across the tables. "What you looking at, rich bastard?" Jounouchi asked as he lifted his head up from the table to glare at the other teen. Kaiba glared back at him.

"Nothing," he said and turned back to his game.

"Oh I see," Jounouchi said slyly. "You're trying to steal my strategy, aren't you?"

Kaiba snorted. "The only reason I would steal your strategy would be if I wanted to learn the most pathetic way to lose."

"WHAT!" Jounouchi cried outraged.

"I was actually watching Yugi play, not that its any of you're concern," he explained. Yugi blinked. Kaiba had been watching him? Suddenly an idea popped into Yugi's head and fell out of his mouth before he even realized it he had said it.

"You want to play against me, Kaiba-kun?" Jounouchi looked appalled. Kaiba stared, somewhat taken aback.

"Yugi are you crazy?" Jounouchi cried.

"No, I'm completely serious," Yugi said and turned to Kaiba. "So how about it?" The other teen stared at him, intense blue eyes examining him carefully, expression completely emotionless.

"I don't think so," he answered finally, turning his face back to his game.

"WHAT!" Jounouchi exclaimed again, shaking with fury.

"Why not?" Yugi asked disappointed.

"My skill level is much higher than yours," he explained candidly. "I don't think you'd be enough of a challenge to entertain me." Yugi was about to protest when Jounouchi suddenly stood up. His eyes were sharp, slightly dangerous and even more serious than Yugi had ever seen them.

"Don't look down at Yugi, Kaiba!" The blonde's voice cold, his eyes flashing as he slammed his fist down on the table. "You might call me names and insult me but I won't let you insult my friend!"

"Jounouchi-kun," Yugi said amazed that Jounouchi could sound so serious.

"And? What do you plan to do about it?" Kaiba asked mildly as if this conversation didn't deserve his full attention.

"You might have watched Yugi from over there in your safe little corner, but you haven't played against him, so you don't know how good he is," Jounouchi continued. "Or is the real reason you won't play against him because you haven't played against a real _human_ in such a long time that you think you've gone rusty?"

'Jounouchi...' Yugi thought, bowing his head. 'Is this what its like to have friends?' he wondered. If he searched through his memories was there ever a time in his life when he had real friends? Friends that he could trust, friends that could trust him! He had only known Jounouchi for two days. Could he already be the best friend Yugi had ever had? After being alone for so long, was it even possible?

"Besides he beat the shit out of that machine over there," Jounouchi said back to his old self, jabbing his thumb behind him at arcade game. "He's a good gamer, Kaiba. Don't look down at him," he finished grinning broadly.

'Thank you, Jounouchi-kun...' Yugi said silently. Kaiba stared at Jounouchi with the same unemotional stare then his eyes slowly shifted over to Yugi's bowed head. Kaiba sighed.

"Whatever," he said coolly. "I'll play against you." Yugi raised his head surprised. "Besides Makeinu is right-"

"Makeinu! Kaiba, you bastard-" Jounouchi started pointing threateningly at Kaiba.

"I am out of practice. Just don't expect me to go easy on you," he interrupted smirking at Yugi.

"Thanks, Jounouchi-kun," Yugi started, but Jounouchi brushed his words away.

"Just beat the crap out of him, okay?" He gave Yugi two thumbs up. Yugi smiled and nodded.

"Not likely," Kaiba answered coldly as he set up the chess pieces for the beginning of the game. "I've been playing chess sense I was a four, and I've never lost," he added. Yugi sat down across from Kaiba suddenly feeling nervous. Jounouchi pulled up a chair next to his friend.

"Egotistical bastard," Jounouchi growled from across the table. Kaiba acted as though he couldn't hear him. "Don't worry, I have complete faith in you!" Jounouchi said clapping Yugi on the shoulder. Kaiba mutely slid the board so that Yugi had the black pieces toward him.

"I go first," he explained and moved his center white pawn forward two spaces. As the game progressed Yugi saw that Kaiba was actually quite good. His moves were strong and solid and he set traps for Yugi while getting steadily closer to Yugi's king.

"Is this really all you've got?" Kaiba asked Yugi coldly as he took prisoner of one of Yugi's knights. "Maybe Jounouchi's overestimating your skill." He had already taken Yugi's queen and both bishops while Yugi only had two of Kaiba's pawns. Kaiba had also managed to place his own queen in the middle of Yugi's pieces.

"Shut your face, Kaiba," Jounouchi threatened. "The game isn't over yet!"

Kaiba grinned smugly. "It's your move," he said coldly.

'What should I do?' Yugi asked silently, his eyes looking frantically searching the board for a solution.

"You can do it, Yugi!" Jounouchi said supportively. Yugi glanced at his friend.

'Jounouchi, you really think I can win? You're trying to cheer me up even though I'm losing.' Yugi looked down at his pieces.

"_He's a good gamer, Kaiba. Don't look down at him…"_

'I want to win,' Yugi thought, his hands clenched on the table. A fire was burning in his chest. 'I want to win! I want to prove Jounouchi's right about me! But how can I? I don't know what to do!'

All the sudden, an odd warm feeling spread through his chest like a great weight had just been removed. Yugi sighed as a tingling sensation pricked across his right hand like someone had put their hand over his.

_We can defeat him, aibou. I'll help you…_

* * *

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Completion of CHAPTER 2! YAY! Ending was kinda cheesy but WHO CARES! GO JOUNOUCHI! YAY! 

Ooooo, more mysterious. How will Kaiba and Yugi's game end? And what could be the repercussions?

Two weeks was too long, maybe I'll go back to one week depends on how many reviews I get and how good a week I have or how much _homework_ I get. I'm really just stalling until I can finish my next story but I'm kinda getting bored.

SO REVIEW! AND MAKE ME HAPPY!

REVIEW!


	3. Spell of Hate

I have a problem; I'll admit it. I have exactly zero reading comprehension skills. Even though I read my chapters over like fifty times they still have really obvious spelling and grammatical mistakes in them, I know its sad, I'm horrible. (cries) So if you're reading and you see really obvious mistakes, know that as I'm reading them later, I cringe ten times worse that you do.

I really should have updated last week, two weeks is too long since, you know sincethe story is already written. I'm working on my next one while updating this one. Last weekend I had so much homework, this weekend I do too, I guess it never stops. Then my Internet wasn't working all week. I hate technology.

Anywho, here's next chapter, its really long, lots of stuff happens in it. Most of it was inspired by the time in my life where my friends were obsessed with chess for a while. I personally can't play it for shit cause I get bored too easily.

This chapter brought to you by the insane rules of chess (no I didn't make any of them up), Bingo Hats and the fact that I really should stop trying to be funny.

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>>>>>>>>

**Chyaputa 3: Spell of Hate**

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"I said, it's your turn," Kaiba repeated a little more firmly this time, he was starting to get irritated.

'What's going on?' Kaiba thought to himself. 'A minute ago Yugi looked panicked but now... it's like he's different?'

Yugi's hand drifted forward, as lifeless as if he were a puppet attached by strings. He moved his last knight away from protecting his king and into the middle of the board.

"What? Is that you're move, Yugi?" Kaiba asked coldly. "You've just left you're king open for checkmate."

"It's you're turn Kaiba," Yugi answered, still face revealing no emotion.

Kaiba grinned, surely Yugi had gone crazy. "I would have been satisfied with just a surrender but if this is better for you that's fine with me."

"Yugi," Jounouchi sounded worriedly. Yugi didn't answer.

Kaiba scoffed and moved his queen to take another one of Yugi's pawns, closing off any space for the king to move. It was trapped in a corner of the board with two pawns on one side and Yugi's own rook behind it.

"Checkmate," Kaiba announced, blue eyes glowing smugly. "Looks like I win."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that," Yugi interrupted, his eyes sharpened.

"What are you talking about?" Kaiba scoffed disdainfully. "Do I need to remind you about the rules of chess? There is nowhere for your king to go without-"

"What about this?" Yugi asked and switched the king's and the rook's positions.

"What?" Kaiba and Jounouchi exclaimed.

"Can you do that?" Jounouchi asked staring at the board, confused.

"Of course you can, its called Castling," Yugi commented still staring at Kaiba who was glaring angrily at the board. "It's a common move, right Kaiba?"

Kaiba lifted his head up, his emotions under control again. "You are only prolonging your defeat," he answered and moved his queen out of Yugi's pieces.

"Why'd he do that?" Jounouchi asked puzzled why Kaiba would retreat.

"He wants to keep his queen," Yugi explained coolly, dark eyes narrowed. "If he had taken my rook my king could take her and if he stayed there my rook could have taken her my next turn."

"I don't need you commenting on my strategies, Yugi," Kaiba growled irritated. "It's your move." The game continued but more intensely than before. When Kaiba tried to set traps for Yugi's pieces Yugi would set traps of his own, making the number of pieces Kaiba had lost equal to his. Both players were at the end of their nerves, both waiting to see what the other one would do.

'He's totally different than before,' Kaiba thought for the hundredth time watching the younger teen contemplating his next move, a flash of intelligence glinting behind his sharp eyes. 'He's so much more confident and serious...' Yugi moved his pawn to capture another one of Kaiba's knights. Now Kaiba had one pawn, a queen, bishop, and a rook left. Yugi had only a rook, a knight and three pawns.

Suddenly Kaiba chuckled. Yugi looked up.

"What is it now, Kaiba?" Jounouchi growled.

"You are indeed stronger than I anticipated, Yugi. This has certainly been entertaining, but it ends here," he explained smirking. Kaiba moved his queen diagonally across the board and took out Yugi's last knight that had been protecting his king. Yugi growled in frustration, fist clenching. "Now you have no defenses"

"We'll see about that," Yugi commented mildly. He moved his rook and took Kaiba's bishop.

"You think that bishop makes a difference when I can just take your king!" Kaiba scoffed laughing. He moved his queen to draw Yugi's king into a corner.

Yugi smirked, unmoved by Kaiba's threats. "You only have your eye on the goal, you should take better care of your companions," he explained as he took Kaiba's rook.

"Nothing you say matters," Kaiba answered smugly moving his queen to cut off Yugi's King again. "Check."

'I am going to win.' he thought excitedly, hands nearly trembling with anticipation.

"You should mind my advice," Yugi said. As he moved his king behind his pawn.

Kaiba grinned. Now Yugi's King was closed off in the corner, he moved his queen in again. "Check!" he announced. 'One more move and I've won!'

Yugi smirked. "If you have learned nothing from this game Kaiba know this: always protect your companions and never underestimate the power of even the smallest piece!" He announced and took Kaiba's queen with his pawn.

"What!" Kaiba exclaimed furiously.

'He was drawing me to his pawn all along!'

"Awesome!" Jounouchi cried, jumping out of his chair.

"It's your turn, Kaiba," Yugi taunted coolly, grinning.

"Damn you," Kaiba growled and moved his King away from Yugi's pieces. Now that Yugi had taken his last rook and bishop, the only pieces Kaiba had left were his King and one lonesome pawn.

"But that's not the only trap I've set for you," Yugi said. Kaiba looked over at his end of the table and his eyes widened in shock.

"What!" Just one square away from the end of the board stood the last two of Yugi's pawns.

"It's too late," Yugi commented and moved his one of his pawns to the edge of the board. "And now." He took his own queen from Kaiba's prisoners and replaced it with his pawn on the board, grinning. "I've got my queen back."

Kaiba growled staring desperately at the field. His fingers shook as they moved his own king uselessly next to his pawn. 'This can't... this can't...' he thought frantically. Yugi stepped his other pawn up to the end of Kaiba's row and added yet another queen to his forces.

"Your move, Kaiba," Yugi taunted. "You can delay the end of this game as long as you want, but either way, you lose!" he announced smugly.

'I lost... I lost...' Kaiba stared at the field hopelessly. 'I can't, I couldn't..."

"Alright! You won!" Jounouchi cried grabbing Yugi's head and putting it into a headlock again. "You beat Kaiba! You beat Kaiba!"

In an instant, almost as though it had never happened, Yugi's eyes lost their intensity, his cool proud stance immediately relaxed.

"Jou-nou-chi-" Yugi choked, round purple eyes popping. "I- can't- breathe…"

"Oh, sorry…" Jounouchi apologized releasing him again. "Man Yugi, you are too awesome!"

"Thanks Jounouchi-kun," Yugi gasped massaging his throat.

"Awww, you're welcome!" the blonde said beaming, rubbing his nose.

"No, I mean it," Yugi said seriously. "For cheering me on and everything you said…"

"No, no, thank _you_," Jounouchi corrected pointing at his friend meaningfully. "You BEAT Kaiba! That's enough to make my whole month! HA!" Yugi turned back to the game. Kaiba was still sitting there staring at the board, his mouth and eyes wide with shock.

"Good game, Kaiba-kun," Yugi said presenting his hand to the other teen. Kaiba didn't move. Yugi frowned. "Kaiba-kun? Are you okay?" he asked worried.

"Leave him!" Jounouchi advised giving Kaiba a cruel lofty expression. "He's just being a sore loser," he sneered nastily.

"Okay…" Yugi said uncertainly still staring at Kaiba's bent head.

"Come on! Let's tell everybody about Kaiba's downfall!" he cried cheerfully jumping up and down. "Yugi beat Kaiba! Yugi beat Kaiba!" he sang skipping across the room.

(-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-)

There it was again. Yugi swerved his head around, spraying toothpaste around his bathroom walls. He looked but there was nothing there. Yugi sighed and spit the last of his toothpaste into the sink.

'I could have sworn I saw something…' He shrugged at himself in the mirror, put his toothbrush and toothpaste on the sink and turned off the light in the bathroom.

'I must be imagining things…' he thought as he climbed into bed and stared up at the ceiling. Without warning the thought of Kaiba popped into his head again. He had looked pretty bad after Yugi had beat him in chess.

'I hope he's okay…' Of course Yugi couldn't even remember the chess game real well in his head. What had happened anyway? Kaiba had looked as sort of lifeless, like a zombie or something.

"I think too much," Yugi muttered and turned over in his bed to get more comfortable. "Good night…" he breathed and his mind drifted.

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Colorless clouds obscured his vision as the smallest puff of wind swirled him round in circles. He felt like a leaf trying to get to the ground safely but the ground never seemed to come. Suddenly and large blast of air picked him up and he soared upwards. Light flashed and then it suddenly got very dark. If he squinted he thought the area around him looked like a hallway.

'I wonder where I am…' he thought as he began to drift again. But this time it seemed like he was drifting towards something, like the air currents around him were pulling him forward. The hallway turned and a set of very familiar double doors appeared at the end of it.

'Could I be in the hospital?' he wondered. A sound interrupted his thoughts, quiet at first then growing slowly louder as he neared the lunchroom. He passed through the room's closed doors without feeling them at all. He could hear the sound clearly now; it was somebody crying.

All the lights were off in the lunch hall and there wasn't a single person to be seen yet something in the corner of the room irresistibly drew Yugi's gaze. There was a set of electronic doors that Jounouchi said lead to the Red Wing. The crying grew louder; the sound was coming from behind the doors. The doors themselves seemed like they were pulsing. An eerie ringing like wind chimes was echoing through the air, calling Yugi to come closer.

Yugi's hand reached out towards the door.

_No! Aibou stop! _a voice cried out. A feeling like a pair of hands clutched his shoulders. _Don't touch that door!_

'Someone's crying…' Yugi protested weakly. The hands on Yugi's shoulders were pulling him back.

_Aibou come back! Come back!_

There was a swishing feeling in Yugi's stomach and Yugi was swept up into colorless clouds once again.

(-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-)

_Wam!_- and Yugi's face meet the cold hard floor. His legs, tangled up in his blankets, soon followed with another dull thud onto the floor. Yugi groaned and peeled his sticky face off the floor. His whole body was covered in cold sweat. He turned around and searched the barely lit room.

Hadn't there been someone there? Hadn't he heard someone calling him? He thought he had heard someone. Yugi rubbed his bruised shoulder confused. He thought he had felt someone's hand there.

'What a strange dream...' he thought and dragged himself back into bed.

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"Hey Yugi!" Jounouchi cried from a table across the room and waved. Yugi waved back and rushed over to the table to where Honda, Otogi and Jounouchi were all sitting.

"Good morning Jounouchi-kun!" Yugi greeted sitting down next to the teen. "Honda-kun, Otogi-kun," he added. The other two nodded in greeting.

"Honda take that ridiculous thing off your head!" Otogi ordered continuing a conversation they had been having before Yugi had arrived. Honda gripped the _thing_ on his head possessively.

"No way! I played four straight hours of bingo to get this!" The _thing_ the two had been talking about was a plastic golden colored crown that looked like one of those cheep prizes they gave you at carnivals. Honda had gone one step further and, having found a marker, had written on the front in large shaky letters, "BINGO KING".

"I'm never taking it off," he muttered dreamily. Otogi rolled his eyes.

"I'm surprised it can fit on your head with that disgusting ship's bow already taking up so much room," Otogi muttered darkly, twirling a lock of silky black hair between his fingers.

"Dude! You did NOT just insult _my_ hair!"

"Sooooo Yugi," Jounouchi said completely ignoring Otogi's and Honda's squabblings once again. "How are you on this bright and _beautiful_ day," Jounouchi asked cheerfully, his eyes sparkling. Yugi looked uneasily back at him. This was definitely not the normal Jounouchi.

"Jounouchi-kun, are you okay?" Yugi asked concerned.

"I'm great! Wonderful! Never been better!" the blonde answered enthusiastically, grinning almost drunkenly.

"Don't worry about him, Yugi," Otogi advised him.

"He's just happy Kaiba didn't come back to his room last night," Honda explained tiredly as Jounouchi hummed jovially across the table.

"And what a great night it was too!" Jounouchi exclaimed. "I had the whole room to myself! That must have been the best sleep I've had in- well, since I've been here!"

"Why didn't he come back to his room?" Yugi asked urgently, ignoring Jounouchi's interruption.

"He's was in the game room ever since you beat him, staring at the game board, not moving at all. They said he looked like he was possessed or something," Otogi explained.

"I heard they had to drag him out of there after dinner and brought him to the doctors to see if there was anything wrong with him," Honda said.

"Oh, there's something wrong with him," Jounouchi interrupted knowledgeably tapping his forehead. "But it's all up here."

"That's for sure!" Honda agreed laughing.

"Possessed...?" Yugi wondered.

'Did something happen to Kaiba too?' he thought staring emptily down at the table, a sick feeling of dread consuming his stomach.

"Ahhh, come on, Yugi," Jounouchi groaned, "You don't feel sorry for him do you?" Jounouchi asked suspiciously. "Kaiba's a bastard! It was about time someone knocked him off his high arrogant ass!" he stated proudly and began to hum again.

"Good morning everyone!" Anzu greeted in her white nurse's uniform as she brought up the food and medication cart. "How is everybody?" she asked cheerful as ever.

"Good morning, Anzu-chan!" Jounouchi exclaimed overly enthusiastic. "Isn't today wonderful and I must say you're looking very beautiful today!"

"Oh, thank you, Jounouchi," she answered just as cheerfully. "And what makes you so happy this morning?" she asked, passing out food trays.

"Kaiba spending the night in the hospital room," Jounouchi answered dreamily.

"Ahh," she said understanding. "Don't worry, they released him this morning!" she explained.

"What? Already?" Jounouchi cried outraged.

"Really?" Yugi asked a little more cheerfully.

'Maybe it was nothing serious…' Yugi thought, gratefully, relaxing back into his chair with relief.

"And I was looking forward to another relaxing night too…" Jounouchi grumbled darkly.

"Turns out there really wasn't really anything wrong that we could see," she explained.

"How fortunate…" Jounouchi muttered sarcastically.

"Well, here are you're meds," she said passing little plastic cups to all four of the occupants of the table. Yugi stared gloomily down in his cup.

"Don't worry it's only a standard anti-depressant, nothing poisonous I promise you," she explained giving Yugi a little wink. He blushed red at her gesture and nodded nervously. "Oh yeah, I almost forgot!" Anzu reached into her pocket and pulled out a folded piece of paper as Yugi swallowed his pills. "Your schedule!" she exclaimed triumphantly and handed it to him. Yugi looked at it.

"What have you got today?" Otogi asked politely leaning across the table.

"Group therapy," Yugi answered confused.

(-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-)

By the time Yugi, Jounouchi, Honda, and Otogi had found the room where they're session was supposed to be held, the rest of the group had arrived. Yugi recognized several unpleasant faces including Ushio, Keith, and two teenagers that Jounouchi, Honda, and Otogi had pointed out to him as good people to avoid, Haga and Ryuzaki.

"Oh goody," Honda muttered moodily, "All the freaks are here." No sooner had he said so then another person walked into the room, shoving Jounouchi out of the way and onto the floor as he passed.

"Jounouchi-kun!" Yugi exclaimed bending down to see if his friend was okay.

"Jerk! What the hell was that-" Jounouchi cried then looked up to see Kaiba's threatening back strutting away. "Kaiba, that bastard…" he growled jumping back on his feet in rage.

"Calm down, Jounouchi," Honda hissed jumping in front of him. "We don't need another scene here too."

"I wasn't going to make a scene!" Jounouchi growled still glaring at Kaiba's back.

"Yeah right," Otogi said doubtfully.

"Well, he would of deserved it!" the blonde muttered darkly as they took their seats. Just then the door to room opened and the physiatrist walked in.

"Good morning everyone," Ishtar greeted the circle of patients.

"Good morning Ishtar-sensei," the group chorused unenthusiastically.

"Ishtar-sensei?" Yugi spoke confused. "I thought she didn't do group sessions?" Yugi hissed to Otogi quietly.

Otogi shrugged. "She's never been here before." A few seats away Jounouchi's anger only increased with the arrival of the doctor.

"What the hell is _she_ doing here?" he asked scowling.

"Momo-sensei came down with a cold last night so I'll be conducting our session today," the doctor explained sitting down in a chair in the circle. "Today we have a new member, he just came two days ago but he's already fitting in quite well," the doctor introduced, motioning for Yugi to stand up. Yugi stumbled to his feet nervously and all eyes turned toward him. Jounouchi and Honda gave him a comforting thumbs up.

"Just say your name," Ishtar instructed kindly.

"Um, hi… I'm Yugi," Yugi said, smiling nervously.

"Hi Yugi," the rest of the group repeated monotonously.

"Is there anything you would like to tell us about yourself, Yugi? Any hobbies?"

"Well, I like games," Yugi answered shakily. Out of the corner of his eye, Yugi saw Kaiba stiffen in his chair.

"He likes games? What kind of lame answer is that?" Keith muttered. Haga started giggling, disturbingly like the skull kid, Kozuka.

"Well, that's nice Yugi, anything else- yes, Mai?"

"Yeah, I have a question," the golden haired woman named Mai spoke hotly. "Why aren't there any other female patients in this hospital? Why are there only boys? And I am the _only_ one who notices this?" she questioned outraged.

"Okay, any other questions for _Yugi_?" Ishtar questioned.

"Yeah, I got one," the teenager Ryuzaki said, raising his hand. "What's you're problem?"

"Ah, excuse me?" Yugi asked politely, confused.

"What have you got? Why are you here?" he accused rudely.

"Oh, um…" he glanced at Ishtar who was busily writing something down on her chipboard. "…ah, I don't what it's called…"

"Oh!" Ryuzaki said loftily, giving sideways glances to his neighbors, "So, you're in denial."

"No, that's not it! I really don't-" he tried to explain, looking frantically around the circle for support.

"Oh come on, don't be so immature," Mai snapped sharply. "_We've_ all accepted _our_ problems, now it's your turn." Other people around the circle were nodded in agreement.

"It's all right to be nervous, Yugi," Ishtar said sympathetically. "This is a safe environment. No one here is going to judge you or-"

"But Ishtar-sensei," Yugi protested. "You never told me-"

"Alright then, how about we have someone else go first to make you feel more comfortable," Ishtar interrupted looking around the circle motioning for Yugi to sit down. Yugi sighed in defeat and slumped down in his chair, feeling very flustered. "How about you, Jounouchi?" Ishtar suggested. "Why don't you show Yugi how it's done?"

Jounouchi grumbled something incoherently under his breath and slid further down in his seat.

"Jounouchi? Is there something you would like to say to the group?" Ishtar said expectantly, tapping her pen on the edge of her clipboard.

"You can't make me talk," he muttered darkly eyes narrowing.

"And why is that?" she asked her deep blue eyes surveying him harshly.

"I know what's really going on in this hospital, you sick cow!" the blonde accused pointing his finger dramatically at the doctor. "I know what you're up to!"

"Oh god, not again," Honda moaned putting his head in his hands. Many similar groans were echoed through out the room and several patients looked like they were ready to turn around and smack their own head against the wall or better yet, Jounouchi's.

"And what I am up to, Jounouchi?" Ishtar asked, not amused.

"Don't pretend you don't know what I'm talking about!" the blonde demanded standing up now. "You're doing experiments on aliens in the Red Wing, don't deny it!"

"Not those damn aliens again!" Keith complained loudly to Ushio who nodded in agreement. Ryuzaki and Haga began to snicker evilly next to them. Mai scoffed and threw her head back in disgust causing her long hair to fall in golden cascades down her back.

Ishtar-sensei just stared at her patient irritated. "Jounouchi, you and I will have a talk later. Would someone else like to go? How about you, Otogi? Would you like to give it a try?" Otogi didn't answer; he was too busy looking at himself in the reflection of the window.

"Ah, I'm so beautiful I scare myself," said Otogi to himself, flipping his hair back and not looking like he had heard Ishtar-sensei at all.

"Get a room," groaned Keith.

"Hmph. He's not any prettier than me," murmured Mai under her breath.

"I heard that!" Otogi shouted, now on his feet and pointing at her. "Take it back!"

"I can't take back the truth," Mai said pompously also standing up.

"Both of you sit down," Ishtar-sensei instructed severely. Yugi noticed that she was beginning to look slightly distressed.

"You can't silence me!" Jounouchi shouted at the top of his lungs still standing up. "You can't hide the truth! I'll reveal you and your whole sick scheme to the world!"

"Oh would you shut the fuck up about those damn aliens!" Mai screamed.

"Make me, bitch!" Jounouchi snapped. "Until my brethren are free to live in peace and until every one of them has escaped from the selfish clutches of society, I shall _not_ rest-"

"Oh, I'll MAKE you rest," Mai threatened and grabbed the chair she had been sitting in and lifted it over her head.

"I SAID SHUT UP!" Ishtar-sensei shrieked banshee-like. The room went deathly silent. "Mai put that chair down! Jounouchi, Otogi, shut up! And all of you, sit, down, NOW!" she ordered, breathing heavily.

"And I am too prettier," Otogi muttered under his breath. Ishtar-sensei gave him a death glare and Otogi meekly sat down again.

"Now Mai, Otogi," Ishtar lectured sharply. "It is not your place to judge other people's opinions or the way they might choose to express themselves. Don't you think it's each person's opinion of himself or herself that matters, not what other people think? And it is he or she who should construct the best way to express their opinions?"

"Yes," Mai and Otogi answered, grudgingly, crossing their arms over their chests, shooting dark looks at each other.

"Alright, now that that's over with lets try something else," the doctor suggested folding her hands in her lap over her clipboard trying to reclaim her composure. "Who would like to share with the group something they did yesterday?" Haga raised his hand eagerly. "Yes Haga, what did you do yesterday?" the doctor asked.

"Yesterday," he announced squeakily, pushing his think-brimmed yellow glasses further up on his nose. "When I went outside for recess I found these," he explained and reaching into his pocket and pulling out a hand full of bugs and spiders.

Mai screeched and slid her chair back as far back as it would go. Ushio and Keith both roared with laughter.

"THAT'S DISGUSTING!" Mai shrieked her chair up against the wall.

"Haga!" Ishtar-sensei warned harshly, her left eyebrow twitching as though she too would have liked to run away screeching at the sight of Haga's collection. "What did I tell you about keeping those things _outside_!" she ordered sternly. Haga bent his head disappointed and stuffed his collection back in his pockets, muttering to himself as he sat back down.

"Alright," the doctor continued her voice strained. "Who else would like to say something?"

"To think such an expert scientist is having so much trouble with a group of children, it almost laughable," a cold voice spoke from a corner of the circle. All eyes turned and locked onto the ominous figure that had spoke. Jounouchi growled darkly under his breath.

"Is there something you would like to say to the group, Kaiba?" the doctor asked mildly, ignoring the teen's last comment. Kaiba glared at Ishtar, eyes as cold as ice.

"That's the second time this session has gotten out of your hands today. I guess you're not much of a professional." Ishtar didn't answer. After a few seconds of silence Jounouchi spoke up.

"You still act like you run the place don't you, ya stuck up bastard?" he commented leaning back so that the front legs of the chair lifted off the ground, looking rather smug. "But you still can't deny the fact the Yugi kicked your ass. Maybe you're not so high and mighty after all, rich boy."

"What? Yugi beat up Kaiba!" Ryuzaki exclaimed unbelievingly.

"No, idiot! He beat him in chess!" Jounouchi corrected irritated. Kaiba's pupils visibly shrank. The people around the circle started to whisper.

"Yugi actually beat Kaiba? Kaiba lost!"

"Isn't Kaiba like the national champion or something…?"

"God, it's just chess…" Mai muttered. "Not like its anything important."

"Jounouchi-kun," Yugi protested, looking from Jounouchi to Kaiba frantically.

"Sorry Yugi, but that guy had it coming," said Jounouchi still staring at Kaiba with such vivid hate it almost scared Yugi.

Kaiba stood up enraged, his fists clenched in anger. "Do you know who I am!" he cried furiously, unstable blue eyes fixed upon the doctor. "I'm Kaiba Seto!"

"I know that very well," said Ishtar mildly again looking up from he clipboard. "But in this hospital you are nothing more than one of my patients."

"And that gives you the right to humiliate me!"

"This isn't humiliation Kaiba, we are helping you."

"Don't lie to me! I know you're being paid to keep me in here!" he yelled.

The room went deathly silent and all eyes turned to Ishtar-sensei. Jounouchi straightened in his chair with a scowl with a look like he would have been happy if both of his worst enemies would finish each other off.

"Not so calm now, are you?" said Kaiba triumphantly, breathing heavy, "now that you've been exposed." He was grinning like a madman, his normally neat brown hair slightly ruffled.

The doctor stood up, more cool and lofty than ever. Kaiba was taken back.

"Tell me, Kaiba," she said cautiously, "Are these more of your hallucinations? Honestly, the only reason why you have stayed in this hospital so long is that you refuse to seek help for your problems. You deny your sickness and now you make up senseless reasons as to why you are being kept here-"

"There's _nothing_ wrong with me!" he shouted outraged.

"You forget, Kaiba, I hold the key to your freedom, they will not release you until I say you have made a full recovery," she continued holding up her clipboard tauntingly, her eyes narrow. "And as far as I can see your condition hasn't changed sense you came here. Honestly, you haven't made any effort to even start a recovery. Personally, I don't see any reason for you to go for quite some time."

Kaiba was pale, staring at Ishtar with hopeless empty expression, much like the one he had worn after Yugi had beaten him at chess. Yugi looked between the patient and doctor nervously.

'What's going on? How can Ishtar be so cold? Why is she doing this?' Kaiba bent his head, his body shaking with anger and frustration. The whole group had their eyes on him. Ishtar, still smiling coldly before him, sat down in her chair once again and brought her ever-faithful clipboard to her eyes.

"Now if you would sit down we shall continue-" but she was interrupted by a loud slam as Kaiba, in a blind rage, stormed out of the room, the door swinging violently in his wake.

There was silence. Members of the circle glanced at one another nervously. Jounouchi slid further down in his seat glaring at the floor, muttering to himself again. Yugi's eyes were still fixed upon the door.

"Alright!" she continued as though there had been no interruption. "Let's continue with what people did yester-" The hospital bell echoed down the corridors.

Ishtar sighed. "Fine! Everybody leave!" she cried waving all the patients out hurriedly. "Come on, move it! Go do- Things! Yes Haga, take those bugs with you. No I don't want them!" she shooed them away looking distressed.

Yugi, Jounouchi, Honda and Otogi, all looking very confused and unnerved, left the room as fast as they could.

* * *

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

* * *

The whole Group Therapy thing was my original idea for this fic before I started going in a totally different direction, so I felt like I had to keep it,you don't have toremember any of the new charcters introduced in that scene, they're not important.Yes, I know I'm not funny, deal with it. YAY KAIBA! He's actually important to the plot now! WOOT!

I'll go back to updating one week again, even if the chapters are really long.

Ooooooooooo, guess what? Plot starts next chapter! And you get to learn more about Ishtar! I can't wait!

REVIEWPLEASE!


	4. Heart of the Underdog

JUST SAW HARRY POTTER MOVIE! (swoons) Coolest thing ever! Yes I am a geek, deal with it.

Holy Hell Gods! How did I get 50 reviews! (faints) Honestly I really haven't been counting but (looks again and faints again) YOU REVIEWER GUYS ROCK! (give chocolate to everyone)

EEE! I have to give props to PSYchotiC-teNdencieS. She found major fault in my chess strategy. (shame) Again, I don't play chess those were just little things I picked up on. I know it's a bit unbelievable that Kaiba would walk right into a pawn trap but its such a Yami thing to do, take an opponent's best piece with a pawn. HA! Silly Kaiba…

Oh and JoeyWheelersOnlySanFangal, you scared the crap out of me! Shit! I'm glad you like my story though. I really don't want to offend anyone. Now I'm wishing more than ever I had set this in a Jail instead of a mental hospital… Oh well, too late now!

Anywho, this chapter is kinda short, but you'll understand why it needed to end there. Mwahahaha…

This chapter brought to you by: mindless card games like Go Fish and extremely reflective Bingo Hats.

* * *

>>>>>>>> 

**Chaputa 4: Painful Choice **

>>>>>>>>

* * *

The minute the door of the doctor's office was shut, Ishtar-sensei could breathe again. She walked over and sat down at her desk, laying her head upon its polished surface waiting for the pounding in her brain to stop. The room silently buzzed around her, the pulsing of the blood in her ears was the only thing she could hear. 

"What am I doing?" she muttered desperately, but the room didn't answer.

Footsteps approached her office soon followed by a sharp knock at her door. Ishtar sat up, pulled the nearest file toward her and began to look busily at its contents. "Come in," she called, not looking up from her papers. The door opened and a man with dark brown hair in his early forties wearing a long white doctor's robe walked in.

"How did the session go?" he asked, closing the door behind him.

"Fine," Ishtar lied, leafing through stacks of paper, trying to make herself look busy so the other doctor would leave. The man chuckled.

"I heard otherwise from Momo-sensei," he mused walking over to her desk.

Ishtar sighed and put her papers down on the table again. "Perhaps I'm a little bit rusty, I've never had so many patients in one room before."

"Indeed," the other doctor remarked, staring at her thoughtfully. "Here are the reports for this week's medical examination on the two Red patients you requested," he said and handed her two different files stuffed with papers.

"Thank you, Ringo-sensei," she replied taking the files and looking through them briefly. Out of the corner of her eye, Ishtar noticed the older doctor as he began to fiddle with his wristwatch nervously. Ishtar, realizing he still had something to say, looked up expectantly.

"Yes, is there something else?" she asked as politely as she could manage.

"Are you feeling alright, Ishtar-sensei?" he asked, the old worry lines around the man's eyes deepening.

"I'm fine. I've just got a little bit of a headache," she commented looking back down at her work. Ringo-sensei still made no sign of leaving.

"Maybe all this work is putting too much strain on you. Why don't you take some time off?" he suggested. Ishtar stared at the other doctor coldly.

"Ringo-sensei, are you deaf?" the doctor asked wearily.

"What?" he asked, confused.

"Did I just not say that I was fine?" she questioned, glaring up at him from her desk.

"Well… yes, but-"

"That's what I thought, now if there isn't anything else, then please leave. I have a lot of work to do," she explained irritated and turning back to her work ignoring the other doctor's continuous presence in the room.

"I'm sorry, but if I may speak my opinion," Ringo-sensei insisted again. "Running such a complicated project all by yourself is too hard for a woman as young as you-"

"Ringo-sensei, I appreciate your concern but I do not wish to repeat myself again," she stated dangerously. Her voice was sharp, cutting through his weak protests like a knife.

"Ishizu-san, please be sensible," he pleaded trying to calm her down. "Now that the project is in its final stages you have become more and more obsessed over it. I have discussed it with the other doctors and we believe you should step down temporarily until..."

"Step down?" she cried standing up in her chair to face him outraged. "Are you asking me to give up the project that _I_ started? That _I_ created?"

"No, no. We just all agree you are too close to this case to be able to continue in an strictly objective manner-"

"You have no authority here! This is _my_ project and I will see it through to the very end!" she snapped, her eyes vivid. "And no five year resident is going to take that away from me now, not after all_ I've_ sacrificed! I won't let you steal this discovery from me just so you can scrape up as much fame as you can get your greedy little paws on!"

Ringo-sensei stared at her in disbelief his face now pale and drawn.

"I was- I didn't…"

"Get _out_ of my office, _now_!" she demanded pointing to the door.

The doctor's mouth was moving but he didn't seem to be able to form any coherent words. Finally the man turned away and walked out of the office without saying a word, completely shocked at being knocked down so harshly. When the door closed and the footsteps faded away, Ishtar fell back into her chair. Her head leaning back against the headrest, she stared blankly up at the ceiling.

(-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-)

"Got any threes?" Honda asked Yugi across the table. Yugi studied his hand carefully

"Go fish," Yugi answered. Jounouchi, who had been sitting behind them, peaked over at Otogi's cards. Otogi, noticing Jounouchi's movement, glared at him and Jounouchi quickly pretended he had been looking for something on the floor.

Honda picked up a card from the pile in the center of the table. "Otogi, your turn."

"Hey Honda, got any threes?" the black haired teen asked with a grin.

"Man, I hate it when people do that," Honda muttered darkly and shoved the card across the tabletop to Otogi.

"Any kings, Yugi?" Otogi asked again, after leaving his newly acquired pair of threes on the table.

"Nope, go fish," Yugi answered.

"God, I hate this game!" Jounouchi moaned looking moodily down at the pile of cards on the table, "Isn't there _anything_ else we can do?"

"Would you like to suggest something?" Honda said looking almost as bored as his friend was.

"Otogi, got any jacks," Yugi asked. Otogi reluctantly handed over a card, which Yugi then added to his increasing large stash of pairs.

"What's the point? Yugi's just going to win, _again_," Jounouchi complained loudly.

"Any eights, Jounouchi?" Yugi asked.

"Go fish," he answered moodily.

"Liar! You so have an eight in your hand!" Honda accused.

"I do not! I don't cheat!" Jounouchi exclaimed outraged.

"Oh yeah, and you didn't look at my cards either," muttered Otogi sarcastically.

"I don't trust you. Let me see you're cards," Honda demanded reaching across the table.

"No! You're not allowed to look at my hand!" Jounouchi cried struggling to get out of the other teen's reach. "That's cheating!"

"Jounouchi-kun, Honda-kun, stop fighting," Yugi pleaded wanting to continue the game.

Otogi sighed and put his hand on the table in defeat. "Might as well give up. They'll never stop now."

Yugi sighed too and started collecting all the cards into a deck again. It had been almost two weeks since Yugi had come to the hospital. He was just starting to feel comfortable around the place. Besides the fact that Jounouchi, Honda and Otogi were all cynically insane, they were all really nice.

'Still,' he wondered looking out the window onto the green lawns of the hospital enclosed by a large white fence. 'How long am I going to have to stay here?'

"Otogi! What are you doing with my crown?" Honda cried abandoning his pursuit of Jounouchi to protect his precious.

Otogi was entranced by the crown's shiny surface in which he was examining his face. "Nothing," he replied innocently.

"Give me that!" Honda growled and snatched it away, shoving it back on his head. "Creepy guy…" he muttered darkly.

"Hey Honda, could you just stand still for a sec, I need to fix my hair," Otogi asked standing behind him searching for his reflection in the crown. Honda shoved him away.

"Back off man! This my crown!" Honda cried backing away as fast as possible.

"I just want to borrow it!" Otogi pleaded chasing after him.

"Shouldn't we stop them?" Yugi asked.

Jounouchi shrugged. "At least they're not chasing after me." Just then, the door to the room slammed open.

"Yugi!" a loud voice spoke as a dark figure stepped into the room. Everyone, including Otogi and Honda, turned to the door to see who it was. Yugi froze in his seat.

"Kaiba? What the hell do you want?" Jounouchi cried enraged. Kaiba strode right passed him, discarding the blonde's presence completely, and walked right up to Yugi. He dropped a chessboard and a bag full of chess pieces in front of him on the table.

"Kaiba what…?" Yugi questioned, stunned.

"I demand a rematch!" he answered firmly, standing over the smaller boy, looking very threatening, his blue eyes wide with madness. "And this time I won't lose."

"Wait a sec, Kaiba!" Honda growled, ignoring the fact that Otogi was still following him on his tiptoes, desperately trying to straighten his hair. "You can't just come in here and force Yugi to-"

"Why not, Honda?" Jounouchi interrupted smugly. "Why not have a rematch?"

"Jounouchi!" Honda and Yugi exclaimed. Jounouchi stood up.

"After all, Yugi did beat him once before. It should be easy to do so again." Kaiba glared at the blonde.

"Do not underestimate me!" he snarled nastily. "I was caught off guard last time, but I won't make the same mistakes again. I can remember every game I've ever played, every move that's ever been contemplated against me and I've studied Yugi's strategies preparing for this moment. This time I will beat him," Kaiba added threateningly.

Jounouchi scoffed, trying very hard to act as smugly as Kaiba. "Yugi kicked your ass once, he'll do it again. Nothing will change from last time."

"I don't listen to comments from a makeinu," Kaiba commented dryly and turned to Yugi again. Jounouchi growled heatedly. "So, are we going to play or are you going to let this weakling talk for you?" Kaiba asked sitting down at the table and beginning to set up the game.

"But I can't…" Yugi said. Kaiba looked up at him suspiciously.

"You what?" he accused glaring coldly at him.

"I won't," Yugi said more firmly. "I won't play against you," Yugi repeated clearly and calmly.

"What!" Jounouchi, Otogi and Honda all exclaimed.

"Why!" Kaiba cried scattering the chess pieces onto the floor and across the table. Yugi flinched at his harsh tone. "Why won't you play against me!"

"What's wrong, Yugi?" Jounouchi asked concerned. "You beat him once before, I'm positive, you can beat him again."

"That's not the point," Yugi muttered dropping his eyes.

'I can't play against anyone. I don't want something bad to happen… again,' Yugi thought determinedly. 'Something bad almost happened the last time I played a game against Kaiba.'

"How dare you look down on me!" Kaiba cried slamming his fists on the table, making everyone in the room jump. "How dare you take away my dignity and then refuse me the opportunity to take it back!"

"Kaiba, it's not like that!" Yugi pleaded.

"Shove off, Kaiba!" Jounouchi growled, stepping in between Kaiba and his friend. "I don't know why he won't fight you but if he doesn't want to play then he doesn't have to!"

"Jounouchi-kun," Yugi muttered awed. Honda and Otogi, their argument completely forgotten, joined Jounouchi in front of Kaiba.

"He has nothing he has to prove to you," Honda snarled and Otogi nodded in agreement. Yugi just stood there stunned.

Kaiba looked both pale and utterly furious. "You coward!" he cried looking down at Yugi's bowed head. "Hiding behind your friends as a shield, if that's what you are then fine! Hide! You're a loser not willing to defend your own victory!"

"Kaiba, I'm sorry. I just…" Yugi tried to explain but Kaiba cut him off.

"It's okay, Yugi. I get it," Kaiba spat, his mouth curled in disgust. "You're afraid I'm going to beat you and take away you're only chance at glory so that you can parade around telling everyone that you beat Kaiba Seto!"

"Yugi wouldn't do that!" Otogi cried outraged.

"Kaiba that's not the reason, I-"

"Let it go, Yugi!" Jounouchi snapped. "Nothing we say can get through his thick skull."

Kaiba scoffed, turning away. "Makeinus who pack together, are still worthless."

Kaiba's words cut him. Yugi stared at the teen Jounouchi despised with hurt in his heart. How could anyone be so cruel? Jounouchi, Honda and Otogi all glared at Kaiba in anger.

"Well, well, looks like we are going to have a party," commented a cold voice from the open doorway. Everyone's eyes shifted to the speaker, the large blonde American, Keith and his henchman, Ushio, flanking him on his right side.

"Oh great," Jounouchi growled sarcastically, bringing up his fists.

"Calm down, Jounouchi. We just want to have a little fun," Ushio chuckled closing the door behind him. Kaiba scoffed and turned to leave.

"Where are you going, Kaiba?" Keith asked smoothly.

"Hanging around too many idiots makes me sick," Kaiba growled coldly.

"But you wouldn't want to miss anything," Ushio commented and pulled a small handgun out of his pocket, pointing it at Kaiba's head. All the patients in the room recoiled, eyes growing wide and fearful.

"Where the hell did you get _that_?" Jounouchi demanded trying to act tough but his face turned a nasty pale blue-ish color.

"We took it off a guard down the hall. He doesn't really need it anymore, if you catch my drift," Keith added smugly and laughed.

Kaiba glared at the thug. "Is that supposed to scare me?"

"Kaiba don't try anything stupid! These guys are serious!" Jounouchi warned.

Kaiba scoffed. "Mind your own business, idiot."

"He going to get himself killed!" Honda cried covering his eyes with his hands.

"Get on the ground Kaiba, if you don't want a bullet in your gut," Ushio threatened tapping the point of the gun on Kaiba's skull.

In one quick fluid movement Kaiba grabbed and twisted Ushio's wrist then flipped him over his shoulder. He snatched the gun from the crony's hand and pointed at the teen on the floor. "I'm not in the mood," Kaiba threatened, eyes holding a deadly glint.

"Kaiba-kun!" Yugi cried relived.

"How the hell does he _do_ that?" Jounouchi muttered in awe.

"I think you'll want to drop that gun," Keith said mildly, still looking quite relaxed.

"And why would I do that?" Kaiba asked coldly. Keith snapped his fingers.

A hand reached out and grabbed Yugi's shoulder pulling him backwards into a corner. Yugi struggled and found cold steel meeting his neck. The person holding the knife to his throat chuckled maliciously in a popping hiccuping pattern that Yugi recognized. Jounouchi and the others turned, hearing the struggle.

"Yugi!" Jounouchi cried running forward without thinking. Kozuka dragged the knife across his neck, making a thin line, not deep enough to kill him. Yugi cried out as warm droplets of blood dripped down his neck into his shirt. Jounouchi froze in his tracks and then turned furiously toward Keith.

"You _bastard_!" the blonde snarled.

"You make one more move and Kozuka will kill your friend," Keith stated simply. "But if you would like to charge at me anyway, go ahead," he added grinning.

Jounouchi growled at him unable to move.

"Good boy," Keith muttered like he was talking to a dog, this time Honda and Otogi had to hold Jounouchi back form tearing Keith's head off. "Now Kaiba if you would be so kind," he added reaching his hand out towards the gun. Kaiba stared at him thoughtfully then looked across the room at Yugi.

"Come on Kaiba, don't be so heartless!" Honda cried.

"Kaiba-kun, don't give-" Yugi choked as Kozuka drew a second thin bloody line across his throat.

Kaiba pause and then mutely dropped the gun on the floor where Ushio immediately snatched it up then promptly punched Kaiba in the face. Kaiba groaned but didn't fall to the floor, blue eyes still fierce. Jounouchi, Honda and Otogi relaxed but only a little bit.

"Now, all of you go over into the corner a sit on the floor," Keith instructed. Jounouchi, Honda, Otogi and Kaiba moved toward the corner and sat down under the window.

"What are you planning to do anyway?" Jounouchi questioned. "What can you possibly get out of holding us here?"

Keith grinned showing nasty yellowing teeth. "We're tired of being in here, we want out. And you all are our ticket to make sure we get what we want."

"You'll never get out this way," Kaiba scoffed. "Now that they see that you're capable of holding hostages, they'll consider you violently dangerous and never let you out of a mental hospital again," he explained with logically smugness. "You're chances of getting out of here disappeared the moment you touched that gun."

Ushio, still pissed off at Kaiba for knocking him to the ground, shoved the point of the gun at the side of teen's head angrily. "You're asking for it!" he snarled. Kaiba didn't move, face blank and expressionless. Keith pulled Ushio back.

"We'll have fun with them later," Keith said not trying to conceal what he was saying. "Right now just wait for the doctors to notice they're missing."

"Hey!" Jounouchi called the attention of the thugs above him. "Why don't you let Yugi go? You've got us all in one place, we're not going anywhere. Just let him go," he suggested. Ushio tipped the handgun from side to side.

"But that wouldn't be very fun," Ushio explained playfully.

"Besides," Keith added, "What if one of you tried to break for the door and got away? We would need someone to make an example of." Kozuka pressed the knife close against Yugi's throat as if to seal their threat. Yugi's sharp in take of breath was heard by the other prisoners.

'I have to get him out of there!' Jounouchi thought frantically, his fists shaking with anger.

"Then at least switch him with me!" Jounouchi asked. "I'll be your prisoner!"

"Aww, but we like little Yugi," Keith said smoothly, petting the shorter boy on the head. "He's too weak and small to struggle. The prefect little victim…" Keith murmured, his nasty sour breath hitting Yugi's face. Yugi squeezed his eyes to shut against this unpleasantness.

'There must be something I can do,' Yugi thought desperately. 'If only I could get out of Kozuka's hold, maybe I could break for the door…' His eyes had already began to water because of the pain of the cuts on his neck. Jounouchi saw this.

"Please, let him switch with me!" Jounouchi pleaded again.

Ushio turned toward him and pointed his gun at his head.

"You talk too much," he warned.

The point of the gun dropped and there was a loud crack as it was fired. Somewhere in the hospital people shrieked and footsteps came running down the hallway.

"JOUNOUCHI-KUN!" Yugi screamed and broke out of Kozuka's hold to run to his friend. Jounouchi twisted and writhed in pain on the floor. The bullet had struck his left leg; blood trickled slowly onto the floor.

"Ha!" Ushio laughed cruelly. "That'll teach him."

"Jounouchi, are you okay?" Honda crawled over to him.

"Aww…ssssssshhit. f-fuck…" Jounouchi gasped. Yugi sat beside him, face white with terror.

"Jounouchi-kun, you shouldn't of spoken up for me," Yugi said tears linking out of his purple eyes. "I was fine, you didn't have to…" He felt light headed and dizzy, maybe it was all the blood. Violence had always made Yugi queasy.

"H-hey, this is n-nothing," Jounouchi replied, sweat dripping off his pale face. "At least it d-didn't hit anything important-" he gasped in pain. "Oh hell!"

"Stop crying about it," Kaiba said beside him irritably, as if Jounouchi were complaining about a paper cut.

"I wasn't talking to you!" Jounouchi snarled.

Yugi's whole head throbbed, he felt like he was going to be sick. He leaned over, putting his head in his hands.

'How could they do this? How could they do this to Jounouchi-kun? Ushio, Keith, we will not forgive you…' Yugi thought darkly, hands shaking.

Suddenly Yugi's head throbbed. Cold empty fear and panic were eating away at his insides. He doubled over on the floor. There was a strange whistling in his ears, pressure building up in his brain. He clutched his stomach, eyes wide with panic and shock.

'What… what's happening to me?' he thought, the people around him suddenly forgotten 'What is this feeling? It's almost like… like there is something inside of me, trying to get out… and I can't hold it back…' That thought scared him. Scared him to death.

_They hurt Jounouchi-kun, they hurt our friend…_

"Hey, get him up!" Ushio ordered to Kozuka. "We're not done with him yet." The kid walked over and grabbed Yugi's arm with claw like hands.

_They shall pay… _

Yugi's stomach lurched; blackness over took his vision as he flew back away from the conscious world.

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"Hey, get him up!" Ushio ordered. Kozuka squeaked and rushed forward to grab the prisoner. But as soon as the youth's hand touched Yugi's arm, Kozuka went flying. The patients in the room all stared in stunned, terrifiedsilence. Yugi wasn't someone who would smash someone's head into a wall.

Ushio pointed the gun at Yugi's head.

"Don't try anything stupid," Keith sneered still very cocky.

"You shall pay…" Yugi threatened in a clear and sharp voice unlike his own. He turned toward the captors, his face twisted with rage, eyes ablaze. "You shall pay for this! I shall avenge my friends!"

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YAY! CLIFFHANGER! WOOT! 

OMF! I LOVE next chapter! I can't WAIT! All I'm saying is Yami is _creepy_… (dances)

PLEASE REVIEW! YAY!


	5. Dark Magic Attacks

Sorry I didn't update yesterday; I was doing family stuff. Played 7 straight hours of that Naruto fighting game… ow, my hands hurt.

I've noticed something. In my last story Happiness is Not a Fish that You Can Catch the first major plot twist was on chapter 5, that's kinda the same thing with this story. Weird, that was totally unplanned.

YES! FIRST PRIZE GOES TO Capricious Purple Clarity! YAY! Haha, I named that doctor Ringo-sensei on purpose! See, I couldn't think of names for all the random nurses and doctors and stuff so I thought, "Hey! Anzu's a nurse, right? And her name means apricot, right? So I'll just name all the nurses and doctors after fruits!" (I was currently learning the names of food at the time in Japanese class) It was a great idea at the time but then it all fell apart when I realized that Ishtar is not actually a fruit. Oh well, all the rest of their names are fruits.

For fun you can figure out what all the other doctors and nurses names mean, if you want. Like "Momo-sensei" mentioned in chapters 3 and 4.

This chapter brought to you by Yami no Yugi in the manga. Simply because he's all angsty and awesome.

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**Chaputa 5: Dark Magic Attacks **

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Ishizu's head jerked up from her desk again. She had worked yet another all-nighter and now she was dead tried. After drinking four cups of coffee this morning surely she should be able to stay awake now. But not ten minutes later did her head lay upon her desk once again. 

"I need a vacation…" she muttered sulkily. She couldn't afford to take a vacation, certainly not now, not when she was so close. Despite the urgency to stay awake, Ishtar's eyes slowly drifted closed and waves of deep sleep soon lapped over her.

_A flash of light. Red blood spilling out of her neck. Dark eyes of cold malice watching…_

Ishizu woke up again with a violent jerk. This time she was covered in cold foul smelling sweat. She clutched her strained throat, her breathing was fast and her pulse shook her body.

'Not that dream again… oh god…'

Footsteps ran down the hall and her door slammed open. A terrified nurse ran in.

"Ishtar-sensei!" the woman cried out of breath. "Some patients got a gun and they're are holding hostages in room B26! Someone's already been shot!"

"What!" Ishizu cried and jumped up from her seat and ran down the hall, the other woman running slowly behind her.

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Yugi's face had been completely transformed. His features, which had been round and innocent only seconds before, had turned dark and sharp; an eerie red glint lingered in his eyes. Keith and Ushio had both stepped back. The very air in the room was vibrating with his anger. How could such a passive, soft-spoken boy suddenly give off such violent hate?

"You hide well behind your guns and your tough words, I wonder if you have any real courage," Yugi commented not effected at all that there was a gun to his head.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Ushio asked, the gun trembling in his hand.

Yugi smirked. "Let's play a game," he challenged pointing threateningly at the two thugs. "A shadow game," he added grinning madly. "Do you have courage enough to accept?"

"What are you saying?" Ushio asked smiling maliciously. "I have a gun to your head, I don't need to accept anything!"

"Are you afraid?" Yugi questioned mildly, deadly eyes flashing. Ushio growled.

Keith stepped in front of his crony. "Leave him to me."

"What?" Ushio questioned incredulously. "You're actually going along with this?"

"Why not? It could be fun," he said and then dropped his voice so only his companion could hear him. "Don't worry, if I lose you can shoot him." Ushio grinned. Keith turned to Yugi. "What are the terms of this game?" he asked.

Yugi grinned, the evil glint back in his eye. "It is a game of courage, whoever gives up first loses. If you lose you shall suffer the penalty game, and let us go free."

"What if you lose?" Keith asked.

"You can have my life," Yugi answered smoothly. Keith frowned.

"But I can take your life right now," Keith reminded him coolly.

"Are you sure?" Yugi asked, deadly serious. "I would give you my life, as in my life would in your hands forever. I would be at your every command. Have you no need for a servant or slave?"

Keith grinned at the thought of it. "You would keep that promise?"

Yugi sneered. "Of course, but I will not lose."

"Very well, I accept," the man answered grinning.

"Yugi, what are you doing?" Jounouchi cried from the floor. Yugi didn't answer; he did not even turn to face his wounded friend.

"We will use these," Yugi explained and held up the chessboard Kaiba had brought and the knife he had taken from Kozuka's unconscious body. Yugi slid two tables together and clamped the chessboard in the crack where the two met so that the board stood upright.

"We shall take turns placing one of our hands on the board, then the other shall take the knife and try to stab the other person's hand," he explained placing his hand on one side of the board and moving his other hand in a stabbing motion. "The first person to take their hand away from the board will lose."

'This is sick,' Keith thought staring at the boy in front of him.

'What the hell is Yugi thinking?' Jounouchi thought desperately.

'This is exactly like the time when he played me in chess,' Kaiba thought watching the whole thing with close interest. 'I wonder what he will do?' Kaiba smirked.

"We'll play 'Janken' to see who goes first. Are you ready?" Yugi asked, sharp dark eyes glaring at the man. Keith nodded stiffly.

Yugi played rock and Keith's hand landed on scissors. Keith cursed silently.

"I'll go first then," Yugi said and took the knife and sat down at one end of the table. Sweat trickled down the sides of Keith's face as he sat down, staring blankly at the chessboard in front of him. "Place your hand on the-" Yugi instructed.

"I know what to do!" growled Keith irritated. Yugi grinned.

"I should warn you, this is not a normal game," he advised as Keith put his hand on the board. "It shall test not only your skills but you psychological self as well."

There was a swish and a _thunk_ as the knife's blade ran through the cardboard. Keith jumped but managed to keep his hand on the board. The edge of the knife had nicked Keith thumb and a small drop of blood dripped down his hand.

"Looks like I missed," Yugi said and passed the knife across the table to Keith. "Your turn."

'How dare he touch me? How _dare_ that kid smirk at me! I'll show him,' Keith grinned. Now that the knife was in his hand he was confident he could win. Yugi placed his hand on the board and Keith struck. He felt the blade pierce the cardboard but there was no flesh on the other side, he had missed.

"Here," he grunted and slid the knife toward his opponent.

Across the room, Jounouchi groaned in pain. Almost his whole left pant leg was red now. The room swirled around him.

'Damn, I can't see what's going on!' he growled. A sharp pain erupted in his leg again and he gasped.

"You're going to want to stop that bleeding," Kaiba said, cool eyes fixed on the game in the middle of the room.

"I know that, dumb ass!" he snarled, the world spinning again. He tried to rip off a piece of his shirt but his fingers were shaking too bad. Kaiba sighed, turned around and ripped off a large section of Jounouchi's white hospital shirt, delicatelyslipped the cloth underneath Jounouchi's legand tied it tightly around his wound. Jounouchi hissed with pain.

"W-why couldn't it have been your shirt?" Jounouchi grunted through his clenched teeth. Kaiba glared at him.

"I don't feel like going around half naked for the rest of the day," he commented dryly. Jounouchi rolled his eyes.

There was another _thunk_ and the other prisoners reacted.

"What? What happened?" Jounouchi asked Honda urgently.

The knife Keith pulled out of the board had a line of red blood a long its edge. He laughed.

"You want to stop now?" he asked playfully. "Next time it'll be your whole hand!" Yugi stared down at the inch deep wound through the side of his hand as though it were a mer scratch, the dark blood oozing down his forearm drenching his white hospital shirt red.

"You would like if I stopped, wouldn't you?" chuckled Yugi darkly, a deadly glint glowing in his red eyes.

'He's crazy!' Keith thought, eyes wide with panic.

"It's my turn," Yugi commented calmly and reached for the knife. But as Keith went to hand it to him, the man's arm shook.

'What's wrong with me? I'm not afraid of him!' he thought desperately staring at his trembling hand. Yugi smirked knowledgeably.

'The shadow game is exposing your true nature.' Yugi thought smugly. 'Keith, you are nothing but an insecure coward who hurts others to hide your own inner fear. In this game I shall teach you to fear _me_!'

Keith's whole body was trembling as he passed the knife across the table. Yugi took it and grinned. "This will be your last turn," he announced.

"What? How can you say that? I was the one who cut you, remember?" Keith argued, trying and failing to keep his cool.

Yugi laughed. A cold sharp laugh that made everyone in the room shiver. "It's my turn," was his only answer.

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Ishtar sprinting at full speed down the hall ran into a barricade in front of the doorway to room B26. She stopped, breathing heavily, bracing herself against a nearby wall for support.

"What the hell is going on here!" she demanded furiously. The doctors turned around. "There are hostages in there, shouldn't you be trying to get them out!"

One of the doctors spoke up. "But look," he stammered and pointed to inside the room. Ishtar pushed her way through the crowd and looked inside. Her eyes fell upon the two figures in the middle of the room, they looked as if they were playing some sort of game.Then something invisible flashed around the players. Ishtar squinted and thought she could see a dark fog like an ominous cloud floating around them.

Ishtar's eyes widened. It was shadow power.

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Yugi waited for Keith to place his hand on the board as he fingered the edge of the knife playfully. Keith gulped and his fingers visibly shook as he placed them on the board. Yugi stabbed. Pain erupted in Keith's finger. He screamed and took his hand away from the board. To his horror he found that there was only a tiny scratch on his pinky, but for some reason it felt like the boy had cut off his whole hand.

"What the hell did you do?" Keith cursed, cradling his crippled hand. The pain was so strong tears were leaking out of his eyes. Yugi flashed a malicious grin.

"I didn't do anything. The shadow game is feeding off of your fears and letting them consume you," Yugi explained smugly crossing his arms over his chest. "Are you giving up?" he asked.

Keath stared at his hand. It hurt. It was pain beyond imagination. He was frightened. There was no way he would last one more round. Keith searched for a way out. There had to be something he could do to get out of this nightmare.

'I'll kill him. All I need to do is kill him and I'll win!' Keith thought frantically. But the knife wasn't in his hand.

"Ushio!" Keith cried. "Kill Yugi!"

Ushio pointed the gun at Yugi's head.

"YUGI!" Jounouchi screamed from the floor, Honda and Otogi holding him back.

The gun fired. The shot echoed through the building.

Keith looked across the table and saw Yugi still sitting there, unhurt. Ushio and Keith both stared at him horrified. The whole room lit up in a blinding golden light.

Yugi glared at Ushio, eyes flashing lividly. "I shall not allow you to disrupt the shadow game." His hand lifted from the table and pointed at Ushio. "PENALTY GAME!" he shouted. The room flashed, a sound like a gunshot echoed again and Ushio's body fell to the floor.

No one moved. Ushio's eyes were wide and empty, staring blankly up at the ceiling, his dead face white with terror. Keith stared utterly horrified at his partner's unmoving form on the floor. Yugi's dangerous eyes locked on Keith once again.

"It's your turn," he said simply as if there had been no interruption. Keith stood up from the table and backed away.

"You're insane! I quit, I'm not playing anymore," Keith said trembling and tripping over the leg of his chair and tumbling clumsily onto the floor.

"Do you give up then?" Yugi asked with a deathly tone in his voice.

Keith nodded. "Yes! Just please spare my life!" he groveled pathetically, kneeling onto the floor begging. Yugi scoffed, ruby eyes unmoved by the man's patheticness.

"I shall spare your life if that is what you desire," Yugi said and grinned again. "But you may wish you were dead in the end." He walked over to the pitiful man curled up on the floor and turned his palm towards him.

"PENALTY GAME!" Yugi's voice echoed like a canon as once again the room was engulfed in a brilliant golden light.

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Yugi slowly became aware of his surroundings. He could feel the cold hospital floor beneath his feet and the slightest air currents caused by the whispers from people around him.

'Did I fall asleep?' he wondered as he slowly piled his eyelids open. He found himself standing in the middle of the room where he and Jounouchi and the others had been playing cards a few moments ago. Then the memory hit him.

'Jounouchi-kun! Is he all right?' he spun around and saw Jounouchi and the others in the corner where they had been last.

"Jounouchi-kun, are you okay?" Yugi asked taking a step forward. Honda and Otogi stepped in between their wounded friend and Yugi; their faces were white.

"What's wrong, Honda-kun, Otogi-kun?" he asked taking another step forward. Honda and Otogi recoiled fearfully. Yugi noticed that Kaiba was also looking unusually pale and stunned. "What happened?"

An old deep fear suddenly awoke in Yugi's chest. He had been in this situation before. The sick feeling in his stomach was all too familiar. He looked franticly around the room hoping for some kind of explanation. He spotted Keith's and Ushio's lifeless bodies on the floor.

'Not again…' His heart beat faster. Panic rising in his chest. 'Not again…'

"Jounouchi-kun? Honda-kun? Otogi-kun?" he asked hopelessly looking towards his friends for support. Honda and Otogi took another step back but Jounouchi could only look at Yugi with complete shock.

"Restrain him!" a voice yelled somewhere behind Yugi from the open doorway. Hands grabbed him, restraining his limbs.

"But I didn't do anything…" Yugi said still looking desperately at his friends. "I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING!" he screamed, his shrill voice echoing painfully on the walls. Honda and Otogi looked away but Jounouchi struggled to get up.

A sharp pain stung the side of his neck as a needle pierced his skin. Yugi saw Jounouchi calling to him, his hand reaching out for him. Yugi tried to grasp it but he was too far away.

"Jounouchi-kun, I didn't…" and the drug hit him and he blacked out.

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The stinging in his left eye woke Pegasus from his sleep. He sat up in the blank darkness with a feeling of deep panic in his heart. His empty eye socket throbbed under its patch.

"W-who is it? Who's there?" he called into the darkness stammering. Familiar feelings of hate and blood lust filled the room. "C-come out!" he demanded.

_I have felt it,_ an unearthly voice mused excitedly. _A new source of power has entered this hospital. One who controls the powers of darkness…_

"Who's there?" Pegasus repeated trembling, panic rising. "Come out!"

_I have no use for you anymore…_

Tendrils of darkness wrapped themselves around Pegasus. They entered his mouth, nose and ears suffocating him. The man tried to scream but within seconds the darkness had entered his brain, heart and soul, devouring him whole.

Pegasus' body fell dead upon the floor.

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Yugi could hear the sound of desperate crying clearly in his dreams but when he opened his eyes there was nothing there.

'Maybe I am being haunted?' he thought as his wide panicked eyes tried to pierce the darkness around him. 'Maybe this is all a bad dream.'

He lay his head back down on his pillow. 'Just try to get some sleep,' he ordered himself but as he closed his eyes for the hundredth time that night the vision of Keith's and Ushio's faces resurfaced in his mind. Yugi sat up again, breathing strained and tight. Would it ever stop? Would these nightmares ever stop? Yugi pulled himself up against the wall of his new padded cell. He had been moved into the Red wing after the event with Ushio and Keith, Yugi hadn't even been allowed to leave his new room. His whole body was shivering, muscles quivering in terror and revulsion.

'Did I kill them?' he wondered for the thousandth time. Their lifeless cold faces had been stretched with panic and fear, their unseeing eyes never to see light again. Hollow empty sobs that he had been trying to suppress all day were building up inside him. His throat tightened as a quiet whimper escaped from his lips.

'Did I kill them?' he questioned himself again. Sobs shook his body. 'I don't want to kill anybody…' A cracked wail escaped his throat and Yugi bowed his head and cried. Tears streamed down his face. He cried and cried and cried, not even trying to hold back any longer.

'I don't want to kill anybody…'

The room spun. Maybe it would all go away? But Yugi couldn't stop, his wails echoed dully through out the empty room. No one could hear him. He was alone.

Faintly, as if it were all in his mind, Yugi felt arms encircle him. Protecting him from his nightmares, the phantom arms tightened around his shoulders. Yugi had no idea if they were real or if his was just making it up, at the moment he was too depressed and tired to care. Yugi leaned against the unseen figure's chest and cried his heart out.

"I don't want to kill anybody…" he mumbled through tear-streaked wails. His head was against the shadow's chest as he cried himself to sleep.

A pair of red eyes watched him carefully. For the first time, a flicker of emotion glowed within their depths.

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WOOT! SQUEEE! Heehee, I love this chapter! Yami no Yugi so cool and evil, though not really. EEEEEE POOR YUGI-KUN! 

Oh yeah "Janken"? Its basically rock paper sissors. I've heard it called many things actually like, "Bo sham po" or "Ro sham bo" (that's what the YGO manga 1 calls it I think) so I have no idea what its actually called.

OMFG NEXT CHAPTER! You'll meet a member of the Red Wing. What about this mysterious disorder? Ishtar please explain.

REVIEW PLEASE!

I LOVE YOU ALL!

NOW REVIEW!


	6. Deal of the Phantom

Pheu! Looooong chapter or at least compared to the last two. YAY! It was originally two chapters but they were both kinda short.

EEEEEEEEE! Soooooooooo close to 100 REVIEWS! (faints) YOU GUYS ROCK! My little ray of light in this dark, dark time (i have exams coming up (hisssssssssssss evil)). I'm glad you're all excited about my wonderous story! I am too!

Yeah, the card is actually "Deal of Phantom", but it sounded better with a "the".

No you can't lie to me spell check! Avoidant is a word! I swear! So is mumblings! Really it is!

This chapter brought to you by PUDDING. What's that? You _don't_ like pudding? HA! Deal with it.

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**Chaputa 6: Deal of the Phantom**

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"Hello!" the boy with light copper skin yelled, jumping up and down in front of the video camera. "Anyone there!" he cried, balancing himself on top of his toes to get directly into view of the camera. The boy pouted in frustration, glaring at the men he knew were watching. He thrust his upper body onto the nearby table and kicked off the wall to get on top of it. With no help from his arms, which were currently being restrained by the straight jacket, he pulled himself up onto his knees and then stood up on the table, now eye level with the camera. 

"Helloooooooo!" he called his breath fogging up the lens. "I'm still here! And I really, _really_ need to go to the bathroom!" He put one of his pale violet eyes up to the lens trying to peer into the electric contraption. "I know you can hear me!" he growled in a sing-songy voice. "Come on, I'm going to piss in my pants!"

There was a click and whirl of gadgets as the electric lock on the boy's door unlocked. A male nurse with an overweight waistline and a chin that didn't looked properly shaved walked in, grunting. The boy turned away from the camera and sighed, frowning slightly.

"Took you long enough…" the boy complained, platinum blonde hair falling in front of his eyes as he sat ungracefully down on top the table. "You guys never send any cute nurses, I always get stuck with the ugly ones…"

"Shut your mouth and get going," the nurse grunted and held the door open for the teenage boy. The boy slid awkwardly off the table and strode through the doorway smugly, the man closing the door behind him. The patient, knowing the path by heart, led the way while the nurse followed closely behind him down the short corridor to the bathroom at the end. The nurse held the door open for the boy, grunting.

"Thank you sir," the boy mocked and walked inside. The nurse was about to close it when the patient stopped the door with his foot. "Please sir," he imitated in his best innocent child's voice. "I might need some help, seeing as I have no hands…"

The man rolled his eyes and stepped in closing the door behind them. The boy chanced a quick scan of the ceiling; cameras weren't allowed in the bathrooms, something about patients having privacy rights. Worked all the better for his plan.

"What do you need me to do?" the man sighed scratching the back of his head so that dandruff fell like snow down his back. The boy's face twisted with disgust.

'Gross man,' he thought feeling nauseous. He shook his head violently, 'Keep to the plan…'

"Actually…" he suggested, his voice deadly serious and his eyes narrowing, taking a step forward. The man blinked and the teenager pounced smashing the man's head against the wall behind him. The man's body fell hard onto the floor and the boy sat on his chest, pinning the nurse's arms to the floor with his bare feet.

"What the hell!" the man cried, struggling to expand his lungs, head spinning from his concussion with the wall. The boy's weight was suffocating him. "Get off me!" he gasped, his grimy face rapidly turning red.

"Look at me," the boy ordered firmly, his face hovering above the man's own. The boy's voice felt oddly sweet and calming. Seemingly against his will, the man turned his face irresistibly upward. "Look into my eyes," the patient commanded. His pale violet eyes glowed, pouring down into the man's ugly brown ones. The nurse became dizzy his eyes drooped half-closed and his thick limbs relaxed. The boy sighed in satisfaction and lifted his face to the ceiling.

"Man, that always takes too long…" he moaned as he got up from the man's body. "Now slave, get this disgusting jacket off me…"

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"That kid is creepy," the man at the TV screen said as the people in the camera room waited for the kid and nurse to come out of the bathroom. "Last week he tried to chew the video camera off the wall."

"Seriously," the nurse next to him agreed, rising her mug of coffee to him. "I heard he tried to escape through the air vent. They had to put the jacket on him just so he wouldn't hurt himself."

"They sure are taking a long time…" the man said, watching the screen intently.

"Don't worry about it, see they're coming out now," the nurse answered and pointed at the TV screen. The two of them watched as the nurse and the boy walked out of the bathroom and back down the hallway to the patient's room. "What the…?" the woman with the coffee wondered, staring at the TV screen with more concentration. Instead of turning left to the patient's room at the end of the corridor they turned right. The nurse on the screen was opening the double doors to the main hall outside, bringing the patient with him.

"What is he doing!" the man exclaimed panicked. "Sound the alarm!" he instructed the woman and ran out into the hallway. The nurse dashed over to the control board and pressed the red button on the side. Red lights flashed through out the wing.

"Red Alert! Red Alert!" she called into the microphone. "Patient Y1 has escaped into the main hallway! I repeat, patient Y1 has escaped into the main hallway!"

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"Open the door," Malik commanded smugly. The nurse sluggishly punched in the access code and pushed the door open. Malik smirked as he walked through the doorway. Red lights flashed over head as people in the hallway screamed and ran about. The boy lifted his head up to the ceiling and laughed, excitement filling his lungs.

A pair of large bulky doctors in white suits approached slowly towards them. "Calm down," one of them said cautiously, hands out stretched. "We don't want to hurt you."

Malik smirked. "The feeling's not mutual…" he answered coldly. His mind slave charged blindly forward and slammed the two doctors into the wall behind them, clearing the path for Malik.

The boy ran down the corridor into the connecting main hallway. A nurse tried to grab him as he turned the corner; he slipped off his loosened straight jacket and flung it in her face, blinding her. Tearing down the hall at full speed dodging medical carts and doctors, he sprinted passed rows and rows of screaming patients.

"Good luck without me! Bastards!" he cried, laughing his head off at his fellow cellmates with their noses pressed against the tiny windows in their doors. Malik ran with his heart in his throat, panic and anticipation fighting for a grip over his emotions. Down the hall the door was in sight, his freedom was just a corridor away. 'I'm almost there!' he thought, legs kicking hard against the cold tile floor. 'I'm going to make it!'

Three men jumped into his path and their arms latched onto him. Malik screamed and struggled furiously, scratching and biting the men to fight them off. A familiar pressure was building up in his brain, the pain cracking the sides of his skull.

"GET OFF OF ME!" he shirked. He felt a loud pop as the pressure snapped. The men around him were thrown back by the shock wave. Malik stumbled, light-headed after the event but managed to stay on his feet. He threw himself forward, staggering down the hall. The exit was only a foot away. The tips of his fingers brushed against the surface of the door.

Immeasurable pain ripped through his body as electric waves hit him, their heat frying his brain. He screamed so hard that his throat went raw. His knees collapsed beneath him as his stunned body fell sprawled on the white floor.

A pair of feet stepped in front of him. He looked up and saw _her_ cold blue eyes staring down at him out of her copper skinned face. In her hand was a long black cattle prod, a spark of electricity jumping from its metal prongs. Malik's teeth clenched, hot burning hatred coursed through his veins.

"YOU BITCH!" he cried and despite his murdered limbs, he lunged at her throat. Two men jumped in just in time to restrain Malik before he could reach her. "I HATE YOU, BITCH! HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME!" he shrieked, his voice high pitched and strained. The woman looked back at him unaffected, eyes hard and blank. The boy's normally smooth rich brown face stretched, hopeless eyes seemingly popping out of his head as he struggled.

"Sedate him and then bring him back to his room," she ordered turning around.

"GET BACK HERE BITCH! I'LL KILL YOU!" His screams followed her down the hall, her white knuckles still holding onto the cattle prod. All the sudden the screams stopped with the thud as his unconscious body hit the ground. The alarm was finally turned off with relief to the doctors around her, but the shrieking words of the boy were still echoing painfully in Ishizu's mind.

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"Ow!" Jounouchi hissed loudly. "Hell! Can't you give me some pain meds or something?" he moaned.

"I already gave you some medication," the doctor, Mikan-sensei, answered irritably. "Maybe your leg wouldn't hurt so much if you'd stop touching it."

"I never imagined a gun shot would hurt so bad," Jounouchi growled at his useless leg, which had been put in a cast and propped up with many pillows.

"Well, now you know," the woman muttered coldly. "Look, I need to run an errand. Please don't try to walk or do something stupid while I'm gone."

"What makes you think I would!" he asked outraged. She smiled at him teasingly and left. No sooner had she gone then the door reopened and Honda and Otogi slipped in.

"Hey Jounouchi!" Honda greeted cheerfully. "Wow, that looks really painful!" he exclaimed, examining the large cast enclosing Jounouchi's limb.

"It is," Jounouchi stated threateningly, glaring at his friend.

"Hey, calm down, we came to cheer you up," Honda responded defensively. "Look, I sneaked you an extra pudding from the lunchroom."

"Thanks Honda… but I'm not really in the mood," Jounouchi said gloomily. Honda and Otogi looked at each other nervously.

"Come on, Jounouchi, don't be that way, your leg will get better soon enough," Otogi reminded him positively.

"That's not why I'm upset," Jounouchi growled looking seriously down at the floor. Otogi and Honda glanced at each other again as though they had sensed this coming.

"Its about Yugi, isn't it?" Honda asked. Jounouchi nodded mutely, mouth tight.

"Its okay, Jounouchi. None of us knew he would turn out to be a psychotic killer," Otogi reassured his blonde friend.

"But he's not!" Jounouchi cried suddenly. Honda and Otogi jumped. "That couldn't have been Yugi! He wouldn't do something like that…"

"What are you talking about, Jounouchi," Otogi argued, green eyes flashing. "He murdered Ushio and put Keith in a coma, right before your eyes!"

"He was trying to protect us!" Jounouchi cried. "If Yugi hadn't done that we would probably all be dead by now! Yugi saved our lives!"

"He's still a murderer," Otogi said seriously. "I thought he seemed a little too innocent when he came here, I bet it was all an act from the very beginning. He's probably some sadistic sociopath…"

"Yugi's not like that!" Jounouchi cried angrily. "Come on Honda, you know Yugi, he's been with us for weeks! There was no way he was acting, right?"

Honda didn't look at his friend. "But he killed someone, Jounouchi."

"So!" Jounouchi cried outraged, Honda flinched. "He's our friend!" There was silence. Jounouchi looked desperately between the two. Both of them avoided his gaze. Jounouchi growled, frustration and disbelief filling his face. "How can you guys be this way?" he questioned, anger rising in him. "Doesn't Yugi deserve more than this? Shouldn't he mean more to you! He protected you!"

"All those pain medications must be going to your head, Jounouchi, cause you are obviously not thinking straight," Otogi said hotly, crossing his arms over his chest. "Were you even in the same room us? Didn't you see how he laughed after they died? Like killing meant nothing to him? We couldn't even see _how_ he killed them! He's a madman!"

Jounouchi glared at Otogi. "He risked his life to protect us," Jounouchi said stubbornly.

"I'd do better talking to a wall," Otogi scoffed coldly, rolling his bright green eyes.

"Then why don't you!" Jounouchi answered just as harshly. Otogi glared at the injured teen and then turned, long black hair swishing, and left the room, slamming the door loudly behind him. Jounouchi turned his sharp furious gaze on Honda.

"Well?" he snapped darkly. Honda looked nervously down at the floor.

"Sorry, Jounouchi, but I'm with Otogi on this one," he said, not meeting Jounouchi's eyes. "Just the way he acted, you know, it was really creepy. It scared the shit out of me."

"Fine! Then both of you can go talk to walls together!" Jounouchi spat coldly. Honda hesitated, opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something but soon closed it again. Finding nothing else to say, he solemnly shuffled out of the room, leaving a frustrated angry Jounouchi behind him.

"Damn!" he cursed and in his frustration chucked one of his pillows at the wall. His golden brown eyes softened and he stared up at the ceiling. "Where are you, Yugi?"

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A pale limp Yugi walked into the psychiatry room that day. Ishtar had given him over a week to recover from the incident with Keith and Ushio but he still looked very shaky asthe doctorwatched him sit down dully in the chair before her.

"I've heard the cuts on your neck have mostly healed," Ishtar stated formally, as if trying to keep this conversation official. Yugi looked as though he hadn't even heard her. "How's your hand?" she asked, kindness breaking through her thin words. Yugi looked up.

"Oh, its fine," he muttered numbly, lifting his heavily bandaged appendage onto the table, examining it. Ishtar breathed; she had to at least try to explain it to him.

"I won't hide anything from you, Yugi," said Ishtar softly. Yugi grimaced as if he had known this was coming. "You know why you were moved into the Red Wing. You killed a patient. The other is still in a coma, we don't think he'll be waking up any time soon." Yugi bowed his head; hands balled tightly in his lap, face screwed up as though he was trying very hard not to listen to her.

Ishtar took another deep breath. "Do you remember the first time we met when I told you that you had a special case we have only seen in a select group of individuals?" Ishtar asked as she began pacing up and down the small white room. Yugi nodded mutely. "Well, I don't believe I was clear enough," Ishtar-sensei stated choosing her words carefully. "The fact is, there have only been two other people in the entire world, as far as I know, who have your unique mind disorder. It has never been observed before and it has never been documented in any official report."

Yugi looked up, utterly confused. "I don't understand…"

The doctor sighed and sat down in the chair in front of him. "In this specific disorder the patient experiences many dangerous symptoms, such as loss of memory, hearing voices, hallucinations, severe paranoia, believing one has supernatural powers," something flashed in her deep blue eyes as she said this, Yugi wasn't sure why. "They tend to become antisocial and avoidant to others, and most of all…" the doctor paused to collect herself. She explained all this very quickly, as though she were excited. Yugi watched her stop for breath, waiting patiently for her to continue. "A sort of split personality disorder. In cases of multiply personalities, a person's head can contain as many as a hundred different personalities at a time but in this specific case there are only two. Two dominant sides to the personality," she showed her empty hands to Yugi as though they both held something very important. "One light, one dark…" she concluded presenting each of her cupped hands in turn.

Yugi stared at the doctor blankly. "I'm sorry, what does this have to do with me? I don't really feel any of the things you listed," he insisted weakly.

"You told me that you were having trouble with other kids at school, didn't you?" she asked. Yugi nodded reluctantly. "And that you were having black outs and that-"

"Yes, but I don't have anything of the other things you mentioned. I'm not hearing voices, I'm not paranoid and I certainly don't have a split personality," he answered smiling nervously as though this whole thing were completely ridiculous.

"People who have multiple personalities often don't realize that the other personalities exist," Ishtar explained sternly, immediately wiping the smile off of Yugi's face. "That would explain why you have gaps in your memory that you can't explain."

"I'm sorry, Ishtar-sensei you must be mistaken, I don't have another person in my head," Yugi said firmly.

"I have been studying this disorder ever sense I became a doctor, I am not mistaken," she explained deadly serious. "I need you to accept this in order to start the recovery-"

"But I'm not-" Yugi protested but was silenced by a stern look from the doctor.

"Yugi," she said more kindly, placing her hands on his shoulders. "This is more important than you could possibly understand…" Yugi looked up, surprised.

'Her eyes are so sad,' he thought, staring up into her shadowed face.

Finally she let go of him. "You need to be able to confront yourself before you can move on." Her sharp gaze locked on his, Yugi was afraid to look away. "Please, just think about…" she asked. Yugi looked at the floor ashamed and nodded solemnly.

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Yugi barely picked at his dinner that night; the food didn't look appetizing. He watched as it slowly grew cold and then when a nurse came to take the tray out again. The words of Ishtar were still floating around in his head, their nonsense bombarding his brain.

'But what if its true?' he asked himself. 'What if there's another personality living inside of me?' What he had felt that morning in the hospital, that feeling that something was trying to get out, could it have possibly been this other personality? But was it right to blame everything that had gone wrong in his life on a sickness? There seemed to be more, there was something he was missing.

He fell back on his bed, restless.

"Do I hear voices?" he wondered out loud. He paused as if one of these disembodied voices would suddenly speak up and answer him. On the day of the incident with Keith and Ushio, before he had blacked out he had thought he had heard a voice but he had been so dizzy and disoriented at the time that he had always assumed that he had imagined it.

Yugi frowned. "This is stupid…" he muttered, stretching out on his bed and staring at the ceiling. Maybe it explained a few things but Ishtar was wrong. He knew it.

Yugi reached up and flipped the light switch off, curling up on his bed ready to fall asleep, but his mind was still buzzing. Dreams wouldn't come easy. He watched as the room gradually melted around him. Silence drugged his mind and sleep finally took him away.

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_Aibou… _a voice whispered to him. The darkness under his lids rippled, breaking into colors before his eyes.

The area around him changed into a wide green field. The sky above was a deep blue, white puffs of cloud floating everywhere. Scattered throughout the field were his toys and games, the ones he had left behind in his room before coming to the hospital. He was about to pick up one of these stray toys when a pair of feet sounded behind him.

Yugi turned around and spotted him. The one he had seen a thousand times before in his dreams. Ruby eyes calmly staring back at him.

'Hi,' Yugi greeted, walking over to the figure. 'Do you want to play another game with me?' he asked. The figure shook his head sadly.

_Aibou, you have to wake up, _he said urgently. Yugi looked confused.

'But I just got here,' Yugi protested. 'Why do I have to leave?'

_There is something important I have to talk to you about, _he explained.

'Can't you just tell me here?' Yugi asked. He shook his head again.

_I need to speak to you in person. I need you to be awake._

Yugi paused thinking for a moment 'Alright,' he agreed. The figure smiled.

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Without thinking, Yugi forced his mind out of the dream. The features of his prison slowly pieced themselves together in the darkness. He sat up and looked around. Someone was supposed to be here. He couldn't remember whom but it seemed important.

There was a sudden jolt from Yugi's heart. Yugi clutched his chest in surprise, eyes wide with shock.

'What was that?' Yugi thought frantically. 'Am I having a heart attack or something?'

The jolt came again, slower than before. Yugi nearly jumped off the bed in fright.

"What the hell was that?" Yugi questioned.

But this one was different; the jolt seemed slow, deliberately broken up. Almost as though it were vibrations. Almost as though something had spoken inside of him…

'Am I going insane?' Yugi asked himself. The vibrations tickled his rib cage again. Yugi shivered. 'Maybe if I listen…' Yugi closed his eyes and breathed the panic and fear out of his system. 'If I listen…' Yugi let his mind relax. He could feel something there, something deeply hidden.

_Aibou… _a voice spoke.

Yugi broke with a start from his concentration. There had been a voice. Yugi had heard it clearly as though there had been a person speaking right in front of him. Yugi's heart was beating very fast. Yugi breathed the giddiness out of his fingers and tried again.

_Aibou_, the voice said again. Yugi kept the connection; he made his mind keep a firm hold on it.

"Who are you?" Yugi spoke out loud.

_I am the double that lives inside you_, the voice answered.

"A double?" Yugi asked.

_Yes_, the voice answered. _I share your consciousness; I live inside your thoughts._ Yugi shivered. This was insane. He was insane! He was talking to a voice that didn't even exist and the voice was actually answering him back! Yugi breathed again, he had to continue.

"Why are you here?" Yugi asked tentatively. "Why are you talking to me now?"

_I've been watching what's been happening the last couple of days, _the ghostly voice explained from inside his mind. Was there emotion in its words? Yugi thought the voice sounded nervous as though it was unsure. _I thought if you knew I was here, you wouldn't be so hard on yourself. I thought you should know that I'm the cause of all your problems._

"Are you the one Ishtar-sensei was talking about? Are you my… other personality?" Yugi asked nervously. There was a pause.

_I don't know…_ the voice answered uncertainly. _I do not understand this disorder._

"So, you are a hallucination?" Yugi asked. There was another long pause.

_I don't know_, the voice responded again.

"How can you not know?" Yugi argued.

_How does a hallucination know it's a hallucination?_ the voice asked stiffly as though Yugi had hurt its feelings. Yugi grinned despite himself; the voice did have a point. ..._Does it hurt? _the voice asked hesitantly. Yugi didn't know what it was talking about and then he remembered.

"Oh, you mean my hand," Yugi said. "Its nothing, it will heal, eventually." Yugi felt a twitch in his mind, was it guilt?

'This is so weird,' Yugi sighed inwardly.

_Can I… ask you something?_ the voice asked cautiously.

"Uh, sure," Yugi answered uncertainly.

_When Kaiba asked for a rematch, why did you refuse? _

Yugi's eyebrows furrowed in concentration, trying to remember. The event seemed so long ago. "I was afraid something bad would to happen to Kaiba. I didn't want him to turn out like those guys at school." There was an itch in the back of Yugi's mind as though the other personality was remembering something very unpleasant. "That's right, you must be the one…" Yugi mumbled out loud. The rest of the sentence was left unsaid, and both personalities in Yugi's mind understood his meaning.

_Yes, I am_, the voice admitted. There was silence, or as much silence as there can be in a person's mind.

Yugi realized he must look very stupid standing in the middle of his room with his eyes closed talking to himself. He wanted to try an experiment. Still trying to keep the connection with this other personality, Yugi opened slowly his eyes.

For a split second, a pair of red eyes blinded Yugi's vision. Yugi shook himself with a start and then suddenly the image was gone. The padded cell around him was all he could see. Yugi, still very puzzled, lay back onto his bed, staring up at the ceiling with his wide purple eyes.

"This is all too confusing," Yugi muttered.

_I agree,_ the voice said in Yugi's mind. Yugi frowned, his mind working slowly, crossing his arms over his chest.

"I wish I knew more about this disorder," Yugi said.

_Ishtar said she had been studying it ever since she became a doctor,_ the voice in his head said helpfully. _Maybe she knows the other people who have it._

"Maybe…" Yugi muttered, still pondering. "You know, I've had this really strange feeling ever sense we were transferred to the Red Wing," Yugi explained seriously. We? Had he just said we? "Like something's not right…"

_I've felt it too, _his other personality agreed. _Something dark lingers in this place._ Yugi narrowed his eyes at the white tiled ceiling.

"If she's the only doctor who has research on this disorder, then it would be logical to keep her subjects of study close by, wouldn't it?" Yugi asked.

_I guess_, the voice agreed, not understanding what Yugi was trying to get at.

"What if…" Yugi said, his mind slowly coming up with a solution. "What if the other people who have the disorder are in this hospital?"

_I suppose its possible…_ the voice admitted hesitantly.

"Maybe they know more about the disorder than even Ishtar-sensei does," Yugi speculated. "Do you think we could convince Ishtar-sensei to let us talk to them?" There was a pause.

_I don't know if that would be a good idea… _the voice said uncertainly. _Ishtar made it sound like they were really dangerous._

"But if we traded experiences with the other patients maybe we could learn something about ourselves," Yugi said, starting to get excited. "We could help Ishtar-sensei's research."

_I still don't like it, _his other personality answered. _I wouldn't trust anyone here, especially that doctor._ _She's researching us too, remember?_ _Are you sure you want to help someone out who is only trying to use you? _the double inside his mind reminded him, a hint of disgust in his voice.

"Ishtar-sensei's not like that," Yugi protested. "Besides if we talk to the other patients maybe we can help them, if they're depressed we could let them know they're not alone." There was another twitch of emotion in Yugi's mind.

_You really want to do this? _the voice asked, surprised.

Yugi nodded. There was a pause in their conversation.

_I suppose it won't hurt to ask, _the voice answered uncertainly.

"Great, we'll try tomorrow then," Yugi concluded and pulled his head up to his pillow, ready to go to bed. "Do you sleep?" Yugi asked suddenly.

_I don't have my own body to regenerate, I don't need to sleep_, his other personality answered.

"So, you're just going to stay up all night?" Yugi asked.

_I do it everyday, _the voice in his head answered.

"Do you get bored?" Yugi asked curiously.

_No,_ the voice answered truthfully. _I'm used to it._

"Well, good night," Yugi called, closing his eyes.

_Good night, Aibou…_

* * *

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

* * *

Awww… so cute. YAY! THEY MET! Sorta...WOOT! That scene went through so many stages it used to be so horrible, I'm _so_ glad I changed it. 

Yeah I know you wanted Bakura. Be patient.

The line, "I am the double that lives inside you" is actually from Yami no Bakura when he introduces himself to Bakura in the manga but I gave it to Yami. YAY!

Oooooooooooo NEXT CHAPTER! Yugi gets so confused. On top of still trying to get used the idea of a weird voice in his head, Yugi meets this crazy angry kid! Return of Jou and Kai! WOOT!

MAKE MY LIFE HAPPY!

REVIEW!


	7. Brain Control

IT SNOWED! YAY! But I didn't get off school… Not yay.

OMFG! Have you all read volume 10 (of Yugioh manga of course)! (squeals) It's so full of angsty wonderfulness! I LOVE IT! Yami no Yugi's all like, "But I don't need to find my memory, I just want to be with you forever." And Yugi's all like "I want to be with you forever." AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH! (dies from bliss) I must say I like the manga _soooooooooooo_ much better than the anime. You get cool lines like Yami no Yugi saying "my aibou has no fashion sense". Ooooo! And Yami no Bakura shows and all and says to Yugi, "No, no, I'm your _friend_ now. Really I am!" and insults Otogi and his father, "Rot and die, old man!" (dies again) HOT! Yeah, so go out and buy volume 10, RIGHT NOW! Of course read my wondrous story first. Why? Because is freaking AWESOME, that's why!

Of course technically, volume 10 is supposed to be volume 17 but those damn people at Shounen Jump divided the whole Yugioh series into three different lables for no reason at all. Weirdos.

I'll stop talking now.

No chairs were harmed during the writing of this chapter.

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>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 

**Chyaputa 7: Brain Control**

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* * *

Neither Otogi nor Honda was there to welcome Jounouchi back from the hospital room. Maybe Jounouchi had been a little harsh that day after the accident but he had thought that at least Honda would have forgiven him by now. Jounouchi grumbled to himself, cursing his so-called friends and himself for driving them away. Now a pair of crutches was the only thing that helped him hobble slowly down the white halls to his room, his cast swinging heavily. As he limped he heard a commotion coming from down the corridor. He stumbled forward and saw a group of guards surrounding the doorway to his room. 

"What the hell?" he groaned, the last thing he needed right now was more trouble.

"Get your filthy hands off my computer!" a voice screeched. It was so strained and high pitched, for a second Jounouchi couldn't recognize it.

"Kaiba?" Jounouchi wondered moving closer to the doorway. He tapped the nearest guard on the shoulder. "What's going on?" he asked.

"Nothing important, we'll be out of your way in a moment," the guard explained. Another guard walked out of the room, carrying Kaiba's very expensive laptop computer in his arms. Jounouchi peeked in and saw three more guards desperately trying to restrain the furious Kaiba, his neat brown hair unusually disheveled.

"That's Kaiba Corporation property! You can't take that away from me!" the normally stoic teenage screamed struggling to reach his computer. The guards shoved Kaiba back onto his bed and began to file out of the room.

"And what are you going to do about it?" one of the guards teased fingering his back cattle prod. "You're not snug in your rich daddy's house anymore, boy. In here, arrogant snobby brats don't always get what they want." The rest of the guards laughed with him as they exited out of the room. Jounouchi cautiously approached the threshold to his dorm. His brown eyes fell on Kaiba, still radiating with hatred.

Kaiba pulled himself up from his bed, shaking. He grabbed the nearest chair and, with a roar of frustration, smashed it against the wall.

'Kaiba's scary…' Jounouchi thought stunned, stumbling backwards in surprised.

"Geez, it's just a computer, Kaiba," he muttered hobbling into the room. Kaiba's fierce blue eyes turned on him.

"Don't make me break your other leg," he threatened darkly.

"Hey! Don't hurt the crippled person!" Jounouchi exclaimed finally dropping onto his bed. Kaiba scoffed and looked away, still angry. Jounouchi stood his crutches up against the wall and pulled his heavy cast onto the bed, hissing with pain. Kaiba just stood there staring at the floor, his face shadowed. Jounouchi glared at him.

"Why do you always have to act like a jerk?" Jounouchi said darkly. "You know what? I'm glad that damned computer is gone. Maybe now I can finally get some rest from your continuos typing."

Kaiba snorted. "You don't understand anything…"

"Oh, I see. Acting like you're the tragic victim now," Jounouchi taunted nastily. "I hate people like you, always acting like you're better than everyone. Well, guess what, Kaiba? You're not! You're insane, just like everyone else! There are a whole lot of people in this hospital that deserve to get out sooner than _you_," he grumbled, lying back on his pillows, glowering at Kaiba.

Kaiba let out a low sinister snarl. "You're wrong," he answered. "I was not sent here because I'm insane."

"Oh yeah," Jounouchi sneered. "Then _please_ tell me, why are you in here?"

"I don't need to explain myself to you," scoffed Kaiba as he turned away to walk out the door. Jounouchi sat up, and placed his good foot in Kaiba's path.

"Try me," he challenged, golden brown eyes narrowing. "I have nothing else to do today and I certainly can't think you're even more of an ass than I do now." Kaiba glared at his roommate. Jounouchi grinned smugly back at him.

"You want to know?" Kaiba asked darkly. The blonde nodded. "I killed my father," he answered. Jounouchi was certainly not expecting that response.

"What!" he exclaimed staring at Kaiba with shock now. "You killed…"

'I knew he was homicidal!' Jounouchi thought franticly.

"My stepfather actually," Kaiba corrected himself mildly. "Now if you don't mind…" he continued stepping over Jounouchi's foot.

"Hold on!" Jounouchi lurched forward and grabbed the white sleeve of Kaiba's hospital shirt. "If you killed someone, shouldn't you be in jail?" he questioned rudely.

"Technically yes, but my lawyers convinced the jury that I was insane at the time of the murder and they gave me a lesser sentence in this hell hole," Kaiba answered casually.

"No matter how much power you have, you can't just bend the law whenever you feel like it!" Jounouchi exclaimed furiously. "That's illegal!"

"That's society," Kaiba said coolly with an icy stare at his roommate.

"You bastard scum!" Jounouchi snarled. His loathing for Kaiba and frustrated that he couldn't get up to wrap his hands around the other teen's throat was getting him very angry. "You can't get away with killing innocent people!" Jounouchi spat nastily.

"_Innocent_!" Kaiba exclaimed in disgust, furious blue eyes turning on the blonde. "That man was tyrant! He was trying to kill us! Using me and the technology that _I_ created to fatten his own greasy pockets! Threatening to send Mokuba away if I didn't do my work for him!"

Jounouchi started. "Wait, who's Mokuba?" he asked curiously. For the first time, the prideful Kaiba suddenly faltered.

"N-none of your business!" he snarled, and tried to get passed Jounouchi once again. Jounouchi pulled himself up on his good leg and put himself between Kaiba and the door.

"Who is Mokuba?" Jounouchi asked again firmly, staring eye to eye at Kaiba.

Kaiba immediately reclaimed his cool indifferent expression. "He's my little brother. I left him in charge of Kaiba Corporation while I was in here. My sentence was only supposed to last for a year, but I've been trapped here for three." He cold eyes narrowed, his voice turning harsh and angry. "Recently one of my outside contacts found large sums of money being transferred into the hospital under the name of my enemies! They're trying to keep me here so they can control my brother and take over my company! That laptop was my only contact with Mokuba!" Jounouchi stared in awe at this spontaneous explanation. Kaiba looked up and glared at his roommate. Jounouchi had never seen him so uncomfortable before.

"Go ahead, say something, anything, I don't care!" Kaiba spat angrily, turning away. "When I get out of here I'll make those bastards pay for trying to hurt my brother!"

"We all have our secrets," Jounouchi said coolly, reclaiming his own calm before Kaiba could.

"That _bastard_ deserved to die. He tortured my brother and me for years!" Kaiba snarled, glaring at the floor, red faced with anger.

"You're not the only one with problems, Kaiba," Jounouchi scoffed coldly back. "Think about all the other people in here who have family members missing them! And you don't see them making up stories to just to make themselves feel better about being here!" Jounouchi scoffed. Kaiba grabbed Jounouchi by the front of his shirt and threw his head against the wall behind him.

"I do _not_ make up stories!" he snarled, breathing heavily. Jounouchi's head was throbbing and his leg, which was twisted at a very bad angle, was screaming with pain. He had to screw his face up to stop himself from crying out.

"Y-you going to kill me too?" he asked, voice strained with the pain. "Will that help you get out of here faster?" Kaiba hesitated and then his face relaxed into its regular stony complexion. He let Jounouchi go.

"No, it wouldn't," he answered reluctantly.

'Man, that was too close!' Jounouchi exclaimed silently, rubbing the back of his head, 'I thought he really was going to KILL me!'

"Not that it wouldn't be satisfying…" Kaiba added coldly.

"You jerk!" Jounouchi growled. "With all you fucking anger problems maybe you deserve to be in here! Ever think of that jackass?" Jounouchi spat. Kaiba glared at him harshly but didn't answer. His gaze suddenly drifted away, staring off into space.

"Three years…" It was barely above whisper but Jounouchi's ear caught it. Kaiba wasn't even paying attention to him anymore; he was too lost in his own thoughts.

'He may be an asshole,' Jounouchi thought reluctantly, glaring at his roommate. 'But he does really seem to care for his brother.'

"There could be worse things," Jounouchi said grudgingly, not looking at him. "I have a little sister too. She must be… 13 or 14 by now, but I haven't seen her since I was 8. My parents are separated and when my mother left she took my sister with her. At least you'll still have your brother, when you get out of here."

Kaiba scoffed. "If we ever do get out of here…" Jounouchi sighed, for once agreeing with his roommate. Mutual silence filled the room, a gloom of hopeless despair connecting the two minds together.

(-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-)

"How are you doing today, Yugi?" Ishtar asked as the patient walked into the psychiatry room the next day. Yugi smiled nervously.

"I'm fine," he answered slightly distracted. Ishtar watched curiously as Yugi's eyes wandered around the room, flickering from one wall to the next as though he was searching for something. Ishtar also noticed a change had come over Yugi's behavior since their session the day before. She watched Yugi suspiciously as he sat down in chair in front of her.

"Have you been sleeping well?" she asked mildly as she shuffled papers on her desk distractedly.

"Oh yes, very well," Yugi answered. Yugi hadn't heard from his mysterious _other_ personality since the night before, most of him still believed he had imagined the whole conversation.

Ishtar eyed him strangely again. "Are you alright, Yugi?" Yugi jumped, purple eyes finally coming to focus on the doctor.

"Oh me? Yes, yes, I'm fine!" he answered nervously. "Why?"

"Nothing, you just seem, I don't know, more energized today," she answered. "So have you thought about what we talked about yesterday?" she asked.

"Yes," Yugi answered firmly. Ishtar again looked surprised.

"And what are you feelings on the matter?" she asked, placing the papers aside and giving Yugi her full attention. Yugi paused, contemplating how to word his answer.

"I don't know if it's this disorder that is making me act this way or not," Yugi answered truthfully. "I don't really understand this disorder at all. Its all so confusing."

Ishtar looked disappointed. "Is there anything I can do to help you to understand it better?" she asked.

"Well actually, I was hoping to ask for a favor," Yugi continued nervously, eyes shifting over her shoulder. "Could I…" he hesitated. "I want to meet the other patients with my disorder," he said firmly.

The doctor was shocked. "You want to what?"

"I want to see if they have experiences like mine. There is something that I need find out for myself that I cannot see within me… that I think you wouldn't understand," Yugi explained almost apologetically. "If I could just talk to one of them maybe it would help-"

"I don't think so, Yugi," the doctor answered firmly.

"But Ishtar-sensei-" Yugi protested. Ishtar held up her hand to silence him.

"Those two are much different than you," she explained. "They are very dangerous and have no control over their actions. Their emotions are totally unstable, it would be suicide to go in there."

"But Ishtar-sensei, maybe I could reason with them-"

"Reason with them?" she asked rising a dark eyebrow skeptically. "I don't think you understand the seriousness of this situation, Yugi. These… patients _cannot_ be reasoned with. I have been trying for over five years. You're only in the early stages of this sickness, soon you'll be just as unreachable as those two."

"But you're not even giving them a chance!" Yugi cried, standing up and leaning across the table toward the doctor in his urgency. "Maybe I can relate to them differently than you can because I'm a patient. Maybe I get them to tell me things they wouldn't tell you," Yugi pleaded. The doctor hesitated.

"They are very dangerous, Yugi," she repeated urgently. "You would be putting you're life on the line."

"I just want to help," Yugi answered. The doctor hesitated for a long moment, blue eyes studying Yugi scrupulously. She stopped the tape recorder on the table then stood and unplugged the camera on the wall. She walked over to the door and locked it then came back and sat down at the table "I could get fired for this. Hell, I could get sued for this," she muttered. "But… I'll give you a try."

"Really?" he asked stunned at her sudden change of mind.

"Like I said I've been working on this for five years," she answered finally sitting down again. "It's sad but I'm desperate…"

"Desperate?" Yugi wondered.

"I'll see what I can do fixing you up with Malik. He is a little less…" she hesitated looking for the right word. "Unpredictable than the other one. Of course this isn't really allowed so you'll only be able to see him for a short time, I'll have to sneak you in… But," she grabbed Yugi by the shoulder, forcing him to look directly into her deep blue eyes. "He is still very dangerous, Yugi! If you want to back out, that's okay with me. I do not want you getting hurt," she warned but Yugi shook his head.

"No, I want to see him for myself," Yugi answered determined.

"Alright," she answered. "I'll set a time up for tomorrow."

(-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-)

Yugi's nerves were on the edge as he followed Ishtar down the corridor to the other patient's room. Even though he was trying to stay positive he still had no idea what this Malik person would act like; Ishtar hadn't given him a very good description. What if the other patient attacked him as soon as he entered the room? Why was Yugi even doing this? This was crazy! There was no way this Malik would open up to a complete stranger. Exactly what was Yugi even trying to get out of him anyhow?

There was a sudden movement over Yugi's shoulder. Yugi shot his head around but saw nothing there. He frowned deeply. Yugi swore he kept seeing something or somebody over his shoulder but every time he turned it was gone.

'Maybe I'm imagining things,' Yugi thought. 'I'm finally starting to go insane.' Ishtar typed the access code into the electric door.

"It's just beyond his observation room," he said pressing her thumb to a finger print pad. The door hummed as it slid open. It reveled a small room with a large window on the opposite wall. The three guards already in the room nodded to the doctor as they entered.

"That's him," Ishtar said pointing to the room on the other side of this window. Yugi looked in and saw a boy with platinum blonde hair in a straight jacket curled up in a corner of his padded cell but he was too far away for Yugi to get a clear look at his face.

Ishtar turned toward Yugi. "Are you sure you want to do this?" she asked again her voice deadly serious. Yugi nodded. The doctor sighed and then motioned for one of the guards to step forward. "You won't be totally alone of course. I'll be sending Budo in there with you, just a precaution. The other guards and I will be watching you from in here. If there is any sign of trouble we'll be in there in a second."

Yugi nodded.

_I still don't think this is a good idea, _the voice in his head spoke up suddenly. Yugi yelped in surprise. Ishtar looked at him curiously.

"Are you alright, Yugi?" she asked, worried.

"Yes, I'm fine," Yugi answered hastily, smiling nervously.

'Don't do that!' Yugi cried into his mind. 'You scared me!'

_Sorry_, the voice apologized.

'Where the hell have you been?' Yugi asked sounding more rude than he wanted to. He felt a twinge as the other personality felt hurt.

_Watching_, the voice answered simply.

'I'm sorry for sounding so harsh,' Yugi apologized. 'You just haven't said anything in the last three days. I'm not used to you popping up.'

_It's okay, _his other personality insisted. _You don't have to do this, you know. _

'I know but it's the only way,' Yugi said firmly.

"Yugi?" Ishtar asked, waving a hand in front of his face to get his attention.

"Oh sorry, Ishtar-sensei. I'm ready," Yugi said. She nodded uncertainly and then walked over to the door and punched in the security code. The door swished open and Yugi walked inside, looking nervously around, the nurse Ishtar had assigned to guard him stayed by the door.

"Go away!" snarled the boy in the corner, not facing his visitors. Yugi gulped and clutched desperately at his remaining courage. He stepped cautiously forward, towards the patient. "I said, leave me alone!" the patient screamed head whirling around in a whip a pale blonde hair, pale violet eyes flashing menacingly. But as his gaze landed on Yugi, the boy looked startled.

"Who are you?" he asked rudely. Yugi could see the teenager's light chocolate-ly skin in contrast to his off-white hair and lilac eyes.

"I-I'm Yugi," Yugi stumbled nervously. Malik lifted an eyebrow in confusion.

"Why are you here?" he questioned accusingly turning fully around to face this newcomer, with much difficulty without use of his arms.

"I just…ah…" Yugi scrambled for words.

"Oh, I see," the teen taunted. "So, she's using kids to do her dirty work now, are you bitch?" Malik spat, glaring at the one-sided mirror at the end of the room. "Well, I'm not talking." He leaned back against the padded walls behind him, eyes narrowed.

"I'm not here cause of Ishtar-sensei," Yugi insisted desperately, stepping closer again. "I came on my own." Malik's eyes turned sharply on Yugi.

"Sure you did," he mocked sarcastically. "I never thought she'd stoop so low."

"But she didn't-"

"So, your name's Yugi," he interrupted rudely again.

"Ah, yeah," Yugi answered uneasily.

"Well, while you're here, you can feed me," he said smugly. It wasn't a request. Yugi stared, slightly dazed. Malik rolled his eyes and jerked his head pointedly over in the direction of a tray of food in the corner. "I was planning on starving myself to death rather than eating like a dog but since you're here," he said with a yawn, "I guess I'll let you help me." Still very confused on why he was doing this, Yugi picked up the tray of food in the opposite corner and brought it over. Malik crawled over on his knees meeting Yugi in the center of the room and opened his mouth like a bird waiting to be fed. Yugi sat down on the floor next to the other patient, picked up a piece of food from the plate and placed it in Malik's mouth.

"Man, this food tastes like shit," Malik complained, chewing with his mouth open. "I wish I could just get out of here," a tone of longing tinted his voice. Yugi paused. Malik glared at him. "Did I tell you to stop?" he growled. With a jump, Yugi quickly picked up the pace.

"How long have you been in here?" Yugi asked casually, feeding him another piece of chicken and desperately trying to fill the empty silence.

"About five years," Malik answered, chewing open mouthed on his food. "I think… actually I'm not really sure. I've never really left this room."

"Five years!" Yugi exclaimed.

'I've been here for barely a mouth…'

"Yeah it sucks," he agreed glumly. "I want rice now," he ordered, his lilac eyes seemed to glow as they stared intensely at Yugi. "And no onions," he added.

"It must be terrible to be in here, all by yourself…" Yugi said, watching Malik's face for a change of expression but Malik only stared right back at him and didn't respond.

"I got really close to escaping a few days ago," Malik said, chewing again. "I even got into the outside hallway."

"How'd you manage that?" Yugi asked interested. Malik grinned, white teeth flashing.

"I have a few tricks…" he answered mysteriously. "I even touched the door at the end of the hall but…" His voice broke into a low angry snarl. "That bitch, how dare she do that to me?" His eyes didn't leave Yugi's face. Yugi looked away but could constantly feel his pale violet orbs drilling into his skull. Those eyes made him dizzy. Yugi lifted another chopstick full of food to his mouth and Malik chewed it greedily.

"I hate her. She's the reason I'm locked in here. She's the reason I'm being tortured. I hope she dies." His eyes narrowed staring at Yugi, daring him to speak up. Yugi's head was swimming; his eyes couldn't focus on anything. He blinked twice, trying to clear his head but it didn't work.

'What's wrong with me?' Yugi asked himself.

"You can't trust her. She'll just betray you, just like she did me." Yugi blinked again and looked down at he floor, Malik's voice washing over him pleasantly like the deep tempting waves before the braking of sleep.

'I can't keep my eyes open…'

"I'm actually surprised you lasted this long…" Malik mused smugly, an impish look in his pale violet eyes. "Most would be under my control by now…"

"Control?" Yugi asked confused, eyelids growing heavy. Malik grinned mischievously.

'I don't understand…' Yugi's head nodded sleepily.

_Aibou? Is there something wrong?_ his other personality asked urgently.

Malik leaned forward so that his face was only a few inches from Yugi's own, his glowing eyes growing larger almost engulfing Yugi entirely. "I find that with the right enforcement I can make anyone do anything I want." He grinned, eyes pouring into Yugi's own. Yugi's eyes drifted half closed.

"What… I don't…" Yugi slurred, incoherent words sliding off his tongue.

"Untie this jacket," Malik ordered firmly.

_Aibou, don't do what he says,_ the voice instructed firmly. _You have to break free. _Something finally clicked together in Yugi's brain and when he looked up at Malik again, his sight was suddenly becoming clear and focused.

"No… I don't think I want to," Yugi answered. Malik growled and kicked Yugi hard in the chest knocking him over.

"No one has resisted me for that long! What the hell is wrong with you?" he cried furiously.

"I'm not quite sure what you're talking about," Yugi answered uncertainly, blinking off the last of Malik's spell. "But maybe you shouldn't be so mean to Ishtar-sensei, she's only doing her job…" Malik snarled, anger and fury rising in his face.

"YOU don't understand what that BITCH did to me!" he shouted struggling to his feet and standing above Yugi. "I trusted HER and she betrayed ME! Did that bitch tell you who she was! I bet she didn't!" he gloated, violet eyes taken over by madness.

"Tell me what?" Yugi asked sitting up.

"That she's my sister! That my full name is Malik Ishtar!" Yugi eyes widened stunned.

"Sister? You're her…?" he gaped. Malik laughed maniacally.

"And look what she did to me! Her own flesh and blood! That BITCH!" he screamed at the mirror opposite the room again.

"I'm sure she was just trying to help you," Yugi said meekly. Malik's eyes flashed dangerous and Yugi knew he had gone too far.

"GET OUT!" he shrieked. Yugi scrambled to his feet. "GET OUT!" Malik hooked a toe underneath the tray of food and kicked it at Yugi as the spiky haired teen tried to escape from the room. Yugi jumped as it hit the wall next to his hand and he scuttled franticly out of the room.

"Well, that was interesting…" Yugi gasped trying to catch his breath as the electric door swished closed behind him.

"At least you got him to eat," Ishtar-sensei muttered mildly. Yugi turned to the doctor, watching her brother throw a tantrum inside his cell.

"Ishtar-sensei," Yugi began but Ishtar shook her head, sighing.

"Leave the questions for tomorrow Yugi, I have to things to do right now," she said simply, turning away. "Budo, please show Yugi back to his room."

(-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-)

Yugi sat on his cot, his chin resting on top of his knees, arms wrapped around his legs. He stared at the floor, a feeling of depression eroding his stomach. He could feel his other self watching him from the depths of his mind.

_That was an interesting visit_, the voice commented. Yugi snorted softly.

"We didn't see his other personality though," Yugi pointed out dully. The other personality silently agreed.

_Is there something wrong, Aibou? _the voice asked sounding concerned. _You haven't saidmuch since we got back._

"I'm fine…" Yugi answered flatly. For some reason he really didn't feel like talking anymore.

_You did a brave thing, trying to help him,_ his other personality said trying to cheer Yugi up. Yugi didn't answer. _You know, you can always talk to me right? _Yugi nodded solemnly. Yugi knew the other personality wasn't very convinced but he kept quiet, not sure what to say. The silence stretched painfully between them again.

"I'm going to meet the other patient tomorrow," Yugi said suddenly.

His other self hesitated. _I don't think that would be a very good idea…_

"Why not?" Yugi snapped. His companion hesitated.

_Didn't you hear Ishtar? She said he was even more dangerous than Malik! I don't want you to get hurt, aibou. _

"I wasn't hurt," Yugi argued back.

_You could have been, _the voice answered rather sharply. _I don't know what I would have done if something had happened to you…_ His voice suddenly softened. Yugi glared down at the floor and didn't say anything for a while. Something like anger was heating up inside him, a pressure like a splitting head ache.

"Who are you?" Yugi asked, his voice quiet.

_What do you mean? _the voice asked, off balanced at this abrupt question.

"I mean, who are you, really? You must know something about yourself. Where did you come from? Do you have a name?" Yugi questioned, his forehead against his knees, hiding his face from the world. The other personality didn't know what to say.

_I don't know…_ he answered honestly. _I don't know where I came from. I don't remember having a name… _

"You don't know… anything?" asked Yugi almost hopelessly, his words muffled against the cloth of his hospital uniform.

_All I remember is you and watching over you, _the voice answered simply as if it wasn't strange at all. Yugi's hands clutched his head, covering his ears, nails digging into his scalp.

"But…" his voice suddenly thickened. "But if you don't have a memory or a name… how are you different from an illusion?" Yugi cried, tears burning his eyes. "Are you saying that I'm just talking to myself? That I'm crazy? That I'm really alone?"

_Aibou…_ his other self protested. Yugi squeezed his eyes closed as tight as they would go.

"I wanted to believe in you so badly. Maybe that's why I didn't question your existence when we first met because I wanted to believe that I wasn't alone! But I'm just imagining you!" Salty stinging tears were leaking down his face, his hands clenched painful around his skull. "I'm just like Ishtar-sensei said! I'm crazy! How do I know if I am! I wanted to meet the others like me to see if they had companions like you so that maybe I could prove that you were real but…" He stopped with a small sob. "How can you be real…?" Yugi's throat was clogged up; he couldn't breathe.

_You're right_, his other personality spoke dully. _I am just in your head. I am your illusion._

"Don't say things like that!" Yugi screamed. He lifted his face from his knees and his breath caught in his throat.

For a second Yugi thought someone must have put a mirror in his cell because when he looked up he thought he saw himself standing across the room, leaning against the opposite wall. Then he noticed that the figure across the room had sharp red eyes, looking deep into Yugi's own.

Yugi's mind went blank. The image itself seemed to have stopped time. Then Yugi blinked and the figure was gone.

_I may be an illusion, but there's one thing that will always be true_, the voice of his other self continued, words echoing in Yugi's brain. _You're no longer alone, and you never will be again. _

* * *

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

* * *

AAAAAAAAAAHHHHH! SO CUTE! So confusing… 

EEEEEEEEEEE! Malik! I love you! (hugs Malik, gets stabbed in the eye with a fork) See, this is why he's in a straight jacket.

God I haven't read this in such a long time. I had to change a few things while editing it because I remembered I cut them from the plot. The Jounouchi and Kaiba stuff gets better I promise!

NEXT CHAPTER! Yugi meets the other Red Wing patient. Yep, you all know who that is. Cue flashbackie goodness!

And now it's that special time of year.

Or day I guess.

That's right.

REVIEW TIME! YAY!

Now obey and REVIEW!


	8. Ominous Fortune Telling

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! I am SO sorry! I've been so busy I forgot to update! PLEASE FORGIVE ME! (bows multiple times) Actually the truth is my blood relation came to visit and gave me lots and lots of anime to watch so that's basically what I've been doing for the passed three days now that my exams are FINALLY OVER! (parties and eats various foods given by reviews)

Yum. Hours, upon hours, upon hours of Bleach goodness. Ishida has the same voice as Sasuke… so creepy, and they actually look almost exactly alike too.

The Japanese word, "ni-san" means brother.

No small children were mentally scarred by their Yamis during the writing of this chapter.

* * *

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 

**Chyaputa 8: Ominous Fortune Telling**

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

* * *

"I want to thank you for what you did, Yugi," Ishtar voiced seriously as they met the next day in the normal psychiatry room. "It might not of seem like you did much but I really think that you helped Malik a lot yesterday." 

"It don't feel like I accomplished anything," Yugi said gloomily.

"You gave him someone to talk to. He needed that more than anything," she insisted, her voice trailing off, blue eyes lost in thought. "He never talks anymore…"

Yugi saw the sad look in her eyes. 'She must really care for him…'

"Ishtar-sensei," Yugi started cautiously. "Are you really Malik's sister?" The doctor hesitated and then nodded stiffly. "Why has he turned out this way? How did he become… like this?"

The doctor sighed and rested her head on her knuckles, long black hair failing down the sides of her face. "Honestly, I don't know. He hasn't always been this way. When we were little he was very spirited but kind, maybe even a little spoiled," she explained, a slight curl of a smile twitching at the corner of her mouth. "It was about six years ago, we were living in Egypt at the time, after our father died…" she paused, eyes clouding over. "That's when he really started getting messed up. So I took him to Japan to see if they had any modern medicines that could help him with his condition but he only got worse. I eventually had to put him in and mental hospital. I wanted to do anything I could to help him so I became a doctor. I did it for his own good but he hasn't forgiven me." Her blue eyes shimmered sadly. Yugi fell silent, unsure if he should try comforting her or change the subject.

"Well, that's all in the past," Ishtar said briskly, looking down at her desk and shuffling through papers. "The real reason I called you here today was to show you who you'll be meeting tomorrow," she said grudgingly, opening the file cabinet next to her. "I want to give you more of a heads up than I did with Malik, maybe that'll prevent some injures." Yugi nodded. Ishtar found the yellow file she had been looking for, opened it and slid a small colored photograph across the table toward him.

Yugi picked it up. It was a picture of a thin lanky teenage boy sitting by himself in a small white room. He had a long mess of white hair, large dark brown eyes and almost unnaturally pale skin. He was staring blankly at the floor, his eyes holding an empty expression.

"This is Bakura Ryou," Ishtar said. "Seems pretty normal until you look at his background. Turns out his mother and sister were murdered when he was only eight years old," she explained. "They never caught the killer, but I suspect it was him."

"But he was only a child!" Yugi exclaimed. The doctor shrugged.

"Like I said he's dangerous. He was moved around to different mental hospitals and foster homes until he finally came here about three years ago. Real piece of work." She took a second photo from the file and gave it to Yugi. The boy in this photo was much different. Although his hair and eyes were the same color, the expression on the boy's face was scary. His hair was wild and his dark brown eyes were sharp; a sinister evil seemed to be locked within them. White fangs grinned in a malicious smirk.

"This is the same boy?" Yugi asked unbelievingly. The doctor nodded.

"Under the possession of his other personality," Ishtar answered.

'Other personality…' Yugi repeated firmly. Yugi could feel his own other personality watching him closely, examining the photo through Yugi's eyes.

"But Yugi you must understand, I am not exaggerating about how dangerous he is," she repeated deadly serious. "You don't have to do this…"

"My answer is the same as last time," answered Yugi stubbornly. She sighed and rubbed her temples tiredly.

"Tomorrow is going to be a long, long day."

(-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-)

"Let's get this over with," Ishtar said apprehensively as she unlocked the door to Bakura's cell and opened it for Yugi. "Good luck." He smiled reassuringly as he walked passed the doctor, but just under the surface Yugi was scared stiff.

_Don't worry, _his other self reassured him, sensing Yugi's discomfort. _I'm still here. I'll protect you no matter what. If this Bakura guy starts to get violent I'll take over the body and deal with him, okay? _Yugi nodded silently and stepped in the room.

The same white haired boy that Yugi had seen in the photograph the day before was seated at a table in the center of the room with a box of crayons and paper. Unlike Ishtar's severe description of the boy, this Bakura looked surprisingly sane and calm. Yugi had suspected him to be tied down with chains or something but this boy didn't even have a straight jacket like the one Malik had worn.

The boy at the table suddenly looked up as he heard Yugi enter, pure white bangs swinging from his movement. Yugi gulped and took another step forward.

"H-hello," Yugi stammered, smiling nervously. The boy at the table blinked.

"Um… hello," the boy answered slightly confused.

'He doesn't seem dangerous,' Yugi thought, stunned at this sudden normalcy.

"Your name's Bakura, right?" The white haired teenager nodded skeptically. "Well, I'm Yugi," Yugi said. "Ah… nice to meet you, Bakura-kun."

"Nice to meet you too," the boy answered politely, still looking very unsettled. "Um… I don't mean to be rude but, you don't look like you work here…"

"Oh, I don't. I'm a patient like you," Yugi corrected. "So, ah… what are you doing?" he asked curiously, trying to continue the mildly friendly conversation.

Bakura blinked again and looked down at his paper. "Drawing," he answered simply as if he had just realized this himself. Yugi walked over to the table, leaving his guard, Budo, to stand next to the doorway, and sat down in a chair next to Bakura.

"Anything in particular?" Yugi asked in a voice that he hoped sounded politely interested. Every corner of the paper was covered in multi colored scribbles with no pattern or shape at all.

"I don't know, I'm only trying to pass the time," Bakura answered as he picked up a red crayon and began scrawling the paper again. "There's really nothing else to do." Yugi caught the pain of loneness in his hollow voice.

'Ishtar-sensei said he had been in mental hospitals since he was eight, that's half of his entire life,' Yugi thought. 'It must be awful for him…'

All the sudden Yugi spotted a deck of cards on the corner of the table.

"What's that?" Yugi asked curiously pointed to the cards. Bakura looked up from his drawing.

"Oh, it's just a card game," he said reluctantly as if he didn't want to explain.

"Can I see?" Yugi asked eagerly. Bakura nodded hesitantly. Yugi reached over the looked through the cards, eyes wide with interest.

"This is Magic and Wizards, isn't it?" Yugi asked excitedly. The white haired boy looked stunned.

"H-how'd you know?" he asked awed, his abstract scribble completely forgotten.

"My family owns a game shop and I remember my grandpa showing me this game. He thought it was going to be really popular. It's a big hit in America, isn't it?" The other boy nodded eagerly.

"Yeah, it is," Bakura agreed, his pale face suddenly lighting up with enthusiasm. "Did you say your family owns a game shop? That's so cool! I love games!"

"You do!" Yugi exclaimed, getting excited despite himself. "So do I! You're like the only person I've met who's said that! What kind of games do you like?"

"Well, my favorites are Table Top RPG games but this game is pretty cool too," he explained pointing to his deck of Magic and Wizards cards.

"Really? I like all kinds of games but I especially like puzzles and stuff like that," Yugi rambled. Suddenly an idea hit him. "Hey, lets have a duel! Grandpa only taught me some of the basics but I'm sure you could teach me!"

"Oh…um." The other boy suddenly became silent. His brown eyes drifted downwards at the table. Yugi stared, had he said something wrong?

"You don't want to play with me?" Yugi asked cautiously.

"No, it's not that! Its just…" he hesitated again, falling back into his depressed stupor. "I don't think playing anything would be a good idea …" he explained, avoiding Yugi's gaze.

"That's okay, we can do something else," Yugi said trying to remain cheerful.

"Although…" Bakura's voice continued, his face bent and shadowed. "There's something else I can do with these cards."

"What's that?" Yugi asked curiously.

"I can read your future," he answered smoothly, still not meeting Yugi's eye.

"Really?" Yugi asked interested leaning across the table.

"Really." Bakura placed the deck on the table. "I'll show you. Cut the deck," he instructed. Yugi reached forward and divided the cards into three separate piles and then stacked them back on top of each other. "Now…" Bakura took the cards back. He lay one card in front of Yugi, three in the middle and than one in front of himself. Yugi stared transfixed by this whole process; it looked almost as if the cards were glowing under Bakura's fingertips.

"This card represents your past, birth and childhood," Bakura continued pointing to the first card in the set of three. He turned it over. "Angle's Dice. Happiness, prosperity, your luck has turned for the good in most of your life but…" his eyes narrowed. "This card is upside down so it seems your good luck has long since ended, too bad for you," he explained amused.

Something prickled the back of Yugi's mind; there was something odd about the way Bakura spoke. His voice was low, smooth and more confidant. The double inside Yugi's mind silently echoed his uneasiness, watching closely at the edge of Yugi's consciousness.

"Next is your present…" Bakura flipped over the second card in set of three, a shadow of a smile curled his pale lips. The card revealed a picture of a dark maze with shifting colors. "Magical Labyrinth. Twists, turns, uncertainty, vital choices, confusion and many trials await you on your journey."

"What kind of journey?" Yugi asked. Bakura shrugged, smug dark eyes flashing.

"I can only tell what the cards show me…" he answered coolly. "Now lets see what your future holds…" he continued, flipping over the next card. "Oh, Invader of the Throne. A betrayal of great magnitude, one who is close to you will turn on you and it will lead to much pain and suffering," he explained grinning madly revealing his white teeth. "Such an exciting future lies before you…" he said with a low chuckle of amusement.

'He's different…' Yugi realized with a suddenly grasp of horror. 'Could he be…'

"You're not Bakura," Yugi said, purple eyes wide. The other teenager grinned.

"So, you've figured it out. How very unfortunate," he mused, dark eyes half closed under his jagged white bangs. "I had wanted to toy with you a little longer…"

_Aibou, this is too dangerous! _Yugi's other self called urgently. _Switch with me!_

"Who are you?" Yugi questioned the dark figure across the table, trying to sound braver than he actually felt.

The other Bakura's grin deepened, dark eyes dancing like the flash of swords.

_Aibou, switch with me NOW! _he cried but before Yugi could answer Bakura jumped to his feet. His arm shot across the space between them and grabbed Yugi's throat, then a split second later, Bakura twisted around the table and with surprising strength, slammed Yugi down on the surface, still clutching his throat violently. The wind was knocked out of Yugi's lungs and no air would return through his crushed windpipe, pinned there on the table by Bakura's hand.

_AIBOU! _the other Yugi screamed. Yugi gasped, he couldn't breathe. The table was carving painfully into his stomach.

"B-Ba…ku-" Yugi struggled, fighting to get air into his lungs, his own hands coming up to trying to release Bakura's grip but it was useless. There was a flash of color next to Yugi's ear but Yugi was in too much pain to see what it was.

"Well, well, turns out you are very interesting, Yugi-kun," Bakura hissed smirking, his expression deadly calm.

_Aibou I'm taking over! _his double cried, his voice sounded very close.

"Don't you dare!" Bakura's other personality snarled nastily. "If you let him take control and I'll snap this precious body in half!" he threatened darkly.

_What!_ the other Yugi cried shocked.

"You- kn-know-?" Yugi choked, eyes widening despite the pain. The dark half of Bakura's personality smirked, eyes glaring at Yugi's pained surprised face.

"I don't know what you're trying to pull," he growled, fingers tightening to increase his threat. "But you better not come into my room again." The door to the room burst open and the two guards from the outside room rushed inside. They pried Bakura's hand off Yugi's throat and pulled Bakura away from the table. Yugi gasped for air and rolled off the table onto the floor.

"If you ever come near my yadonushi again, I'll kill you," he snarled dark eyes wide with madness. He tilted his head up and laughed insanely as the needle was plunged into his flesh.

Yugi held his bruised throat, eyes wide with shock, the muscles in this neck pounding. His mouth was open from breathing so hard, locks of red and gold hair sticking to his sweaty face.

_Are you okay? _his double asked extremely worried.

"He- knew- about- you…" Yugi said in disbelief staring at the unconscious white haired boy now lying limp on the floor.

_I noticed, _the other answered grimly.

"Are you all right, Yugi?" Ishtar-sensei asked rushing over to Yugi. Her copper face was unusually pale. Yugi nodded, wincing slightly.

"I'll be fine," he said, squinting up at her through his golden bangs.

"Come on." She kneeled down and looped an arm across his back pulling him to his feet. "Lets get you to the infirmary."

(-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-)

"Ryou, can you help me with this?" the fair-haired woman called from across the room. The white haired child bounded to his feet, abandoning his multi colored building blocks and went to her. She was knitting soft green yarn into a small circular shape.

"What's it going to be, Kaa-san?" the boy asked curiously, feeling the yarn's fluffy texture with his tiny pale hands. The boy's mother smiled and placed the circle on his head.

"A hat for Amane," she answered playfully. "I just need to make sure it's the right size." Her nimble fingers ruffled his already messy hair. "It's going to be a surprise for her birthday so don't tell," she added putting a finger to her lips. "It's our secret, okay?"

The image changed.

Years later it was nighttime and the Bakura house was deadly quiet. Ryou could see his own shaking hands grabbing one of his mother metallic knitting needles. He was walking into her bedroom.

'_No. Not back to this… I don't want to see…' _

She snored lightly in her peaceful slumber; his mother had always been a deep sleeper. He raised the knitting needle in his tiny pale hand, positioned for attack.

"Ni-san…" a tiny voice spoke from behind him. Ryou turned, breathing heavily, his sweaty hand still clutching the needle. "What are you doing up?" His little sister, Amane, rubbed her eyes sleepily and yawned, the loss of her first front tooth clearly visible.

_No I can't hurt her. I can't do this!_

"Go back to bed, you stupid girl!" The voice that echoed out of his throat was harsh and threatening and not his own. Her eyes widened, the knowledge that something was wrong suddenly hit her.

_I don't want to see anymore!_

"Ni-san?" She backed away, terror gripping her heart.

"RUN! AMANE!" Ryou screamed and sat up in his bed. He was back in the hospital, back in his prison. His torture… His face fell into his shaking hands. Bakura Ryou could smell the over powering stench of blood all over him.

(-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-)

The crying woke Yugi up in the middle of the night again. He sat up then winced at the pain in his next. Bakura had left a large purple bruise across his skin where he had pinned him down against the table.

'Why am I always getting beaten up?' Yugi thought glumly.

_Do you hear that? _his other self asked within the deeps of Yugi's mind. The soft crying gasps echoed dully through Yugi's head.

"Yeah, ever since we got here. It sounds so sad…" Yugi answered solemnly.

(-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-)

Tired of lying in bed all day, Jounouchi finally got irritated enough to hobble out of his room. Figuring to occupy his mind with something interesting, he turned toward the game room. He arrived, disgracefully limping across the threshold, swinging his suspended leg along in his wake. Faces turned to watch him stumble awkwardly around the room searching for somewhere to sit. His eyes fell upon Otogi and Honda sitting at a table alone playing with dice. He was about approach when he saw Honda look up and then guiltily look away again, reminding the blonde of their argument. Irritably he turned and looked somewhere else.

"Ah… can I sit here?" Jounouchi asked awkwardly to the occupant at the _only_ open game table. Kaiba looked up from his chess game to stare at the blonde, perhaps to confirm he was actually talking to him.

"I'd prefer if you didn't," Kaiba answered coldly turning back to the chessboard.

"Fine…" Jounouchi answered grimly and turned to walk away.

"Shouldn't you be sitting with those other idiots?" Kaiba asked mildly as if he couldn't care less, indicating Honda and Otogi across the room. Jounouchi hesitated.

"We're not on the best terms right now, not that that's any of your business," he answered sharply, sitting down at the table to rest his trembling weak leg.

"I told you not to sit here," Kaiba growled, eyes narrowing.

"Yeah well, now I'm comfy," Jounouchi retorted. Kaiba glared but turned back to his game. Jounouchi drummed his fingers on the table distractedly. Now that he was here there really wasn't anything to do, but the idea of walking all the way back to his room was painful. He sighed loudly in frustration. Kaiba pinned him with a cold glance.

"If you are going to sit here, could you at least stop your insufferable sighing and finger tapping?" he cut sharply.

"Fine!" Jounouchi snapped back. His was in no mood to be polite today. They fell into silence once again, Kaiba moving pieces around on his game board and Jounouchi not trying very hard to not to make any noise. How could Kaiba just sit here day after day? Another five agonizing minutes of finger twitching and glare battling with his intolerable roommate and Jounouchi just might go insane, or more insane.

"I'm bored," Jounouchi moaned. Kaiba's eyebrow twitched.

"I've guessed," he growled. "You really don't _have_ to sit here, idiot. Actually, I would prefer if you'd leave." Jounouchi pretended he hadn't heard him.

"Let me play with you," he said finally turning toward the cold teen.

"In chess?" Kaiba asked, one eyebrow quirked. "Why would I waste my time? You suck."

"Hey! I'm not that bad!" Jounouchi exclaimed defensively. "You never know, I might just surprise you," the blonde continued cockily. Kaiba did not look amused.

"I've seen you play," he answered coldly. "Believe me, you suck."

"Just one game, Kaiba. I'm bored!" Jounouchi whined.

"You're not worth my time," Kaiba said flatly and turned back to his game. Jounouchi grinned mischievously and purposely drummed his fingers loudly on the tabletop. Kaiba's hand paused in midair, about to pick up a knight, and focused on the blonde's rhythmic digits. His eyes narrowed as he looked up at Jounouchi who was casually looking away. Kaiba's mouth set angrily into a snarl.

"Whatever, I'll play you," he spat reluctantly. Jounouchi glowed with silent triumph.

"Okay, I want to be…" he said cheerfully reaching towards the white figures, Kaiba snatched the pieces out of his reach.

"I'll be white," he cut placing the figures on his side of the board.

"Hey, I wanted-" Jounouchi protested but Kaiba had already set up his pieces.

"I go first." Kaiba interrupted coldly and moved his center pawn one step forward. Jounouchi grumbled but set his black figures up anyway. The game didn't last long. Jounouchi barely had time to register that Kaiba was advancing before the white pieces broke his petty defenses.

"Damn, you're even worse than Yugi," Jounouchi muttered despairingly.

Kaiba scoffed coldly. "Yugi probably felt sorry for such a simple minded player and went easy on you."

"Shut up!" Jounouchi spat, slamming his fist on the table.

"What? Did I hit a nerve?" Kaiba smirked cruelly. Jounouchi growled.

"Let's play again," he demanded wiping the board clean of chess figures. Kaiba's eyebrow lifted again.

"You'll lose."

"Maybe, maybe not, but I won't let you insult my friend!" Jounouchi cried determined.

"You're only making a fool out of yourself," Kaiba said mildly setting up his pieces again.

"Shut your mouth and play," Jounouchi growled. Kaiba shrugged.

"Checkmate," announced Kaiba smugly, ten minutes later. Jounouchi seethed with frustration.

"One more time," he said firmly. Kaiba snorted.

"This is ridiculous," he answered, his grin fading into a stony fix.

"Are you afraid?" Jounouchi taunted cruelly. Kaiba didn't even blink at this remark.

"I won't be intimidated by someone as small as you," he answered icily. Jounouchi looked away fuming with hatred. Kaiba examined his roommate closely, eyes unreadable.

"Why are you playing for Yugi?" Kaiba asked emotionlessly.

"Because he's coming back," Jounouchi answered stubbornly. "And I'm the only one that believes it…" Kaiba paused to look at the chessboard and then at Jounouchi again.

"Fine, one more game," Kaiba announced gathering the pieces. Jounouchi glared.

"I don't want your pity, Kaiba!" he snarled. Kaiba flashed a smirk. Jounouchi was startled. For some reason it seemed out of character for Kaiba.

"I don't pity you, Jounouchi," he answered coldly. "In fact I rather dislike you, but for Yugi's sake…" Kaiba paused. "Well if you don't want to play anymore…" he made a motion to put the board away but Jounouchi stopped him.

"One more game," Jounouchi repeated. "But only since _you_ really want to," he answered smugly. Kaiba only stared, getting slightly annoyed.

"Fine," Kaiba answered stiffly and put the chessboard back on the table.

(-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-)

Ever since Malik could remember, he had been afraid of the dark. It terrified him, its infinite uncertainly and emptiness. During the first couple of nights at the hospital Malik had tried to plea with the doctors not to turn the lights off at night. He had screeched and wailed at them not to leave him alone in the dark but they hadn't listened. He had been forced to lie awake in the middle of the floor of his cell, eyes wide with fear, an unseen ghostly shape circling him all night long like a hawk following their prey. It's claw-like fingers reaching out of the darkness, threatening to grasp his flesh.

As time went on his obscure shapeless shadow slowly became more real. He could feel its slimly hands and sharp teeth scraping his raw skin. Finally his sister had to come into his cell to stop him from screaming. She had held him close trying to calm him down, insisting that there nothing was there but Malik knew she was lying.

"I'm NOT hallucinating!" he screamed. "It's real and it wants to KILL me!" he had insisted, voice high pitched with panic.

"Malik calm down," Ishizu had told him, trying to comfort her eleven-year-old brother.

"I want to go home, Ne-san!" he said turning to his sister, frightened tears leaking down his cheeks. "I want to go home NOW!" he commanded. She approached him cautiously, arms out-stretched.

"We can't go home, not until you're well again-"

"But I am not SICK!" he screeched, moving away from her like she was some diseased thing. "This place is what's making me sick! I'm fine! I JUST WANT TO GO HOME!"

She moved toward him again, copper arms trying to enclose him and protect him. "We can't go home, Malik. This is our home from now on…" she had said softly. Malik's violet eyes opened with fear, tears of disbelief rolled down his face.

"NOO!" he had screamed pushing away from her, thrashing his arms around his head. Uncontrollable anger had boiled up within him, over whelming his senses. "HOW COULD YOU BRING ME HERE! I HATE YOU! I WANT TO GO HOME NOW!" His sister tried to approach him again but he fled from her, curled up in a corner sobbing.

"Malik…" she tried but he ignored her.

No matter how much he screamed she wouldn't let him go. No matter how much he cried she wouldn't keep the lights on. So he was left alone in the capture of his dark shadowy demon every night where he could hear its smooth voice whispering in his ear as he slept and feel its cold icy breath on the back of his neck.

(-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-)

"Well, well, well," the platinum blond haired teen mused tiredly. "It's the witch from hell. Come to gloat, I suppose." Ishizu Ishtar frowned as the electric door closed behind her.

"Things would go much easier if you'd talk to me," she answered indifferently but her detachedness only made him angrier. Malik scoffed and pulled himself into a sitting position, struggling awkwardly around on his knees.

"I have nothing to say to you, _traitor_," he spat acidly, eyes flashing fiercely. "Perhaps you'd like to get a cattle prod to stimulate my memory…" he snarled, poisonous hatred dripping off his tongue. The doctor's face faltered.

"You gave me no choice, Malik," she answered stiffly.

"No choice? Ha! Just like when you locked me in this hell," he snarled nastily. "For my own good, right?" he mocked cynically.

"We've been over this," she said her face fixed in a stony blank complexion. Her body was as rigid as a statue.

"That's right, we _have_ been over this," he growled loftily and turned away. "Then I guess we have nothing left to talk about. Leave me." Ishtar didn't move; trembling hands clenched at her sides, nails digging painfully into her palms. She glared at her brother's back before finally turning to leave, hurt and pain shimmering in her eyes.

"Actually, there is something I want," Malik said as her hand reached the door.

"What is it?" she asked. Malik flopped down on the padded floor, restlessly.

"I want to see Yugi again," he answered casually still not looking at her.

"Why?" she asked curiously, taken aback by this strange request.

"He… intrigues me. He's also the only one besides you to resist my hypnosis." Malik turned to glare at his sibling. "And because I feel like it," he snapped and turned away from her again, busying himself by examining the cushioned ceiling.

"I'll see what I can do," Ishtar answered and left the room.

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YAY! FLASHBACKS! If this was an anime they would be all be in little kid form. Imagine little child Yami no Bakura… now _that_ would be fucking AWESOME! 

Sorry again for being so late! (bows repeatedly again)

I'm working on this one-shot for a Christmas special thing but it might not be up by then seeing how this week is going.

NEXT CHAPTER! Yugi is asked to revisit peoples and Malik has a seizer. Ishizu gets some very bad news, which could lead to some very rash decisions.

I know I don't deserve it for not being on time but REVIEW PLEASE!

PLEASE!

REVIEW!


	9. Posessed Dark Soul

I'M BACK! I'm so sorry, I was really busy last weekend and there was so much stuff going on I didn't have time to update. To tell you the absolute and totally truth I panicked. A reviewer gave me the comment that the last chapter sounded rushed so, me being a procrastinating perfectionist and all, began doing super uber edits to this chapter cause I really hated the beginning and I thought it sounded too rushed and then I got really sick and I slept for an entire day, but that's a different story, and I was falling asleep in all my classes because I was staying up all night taking too much time filling up all these GOD FORSAKEN PLOT HOLES! (is out of breath (talk about your run on sentences))

_Anyway_, the chapter's all new and improved now, yes I am a little unstable and not-quite-all-here. But that's what cold medication is for. WEEE!

I did write that Christmas special thing so it wasn't totally a waste of time. (shrug)

This chapter is brought to you by ketchup, no there is not ketchup in this chapter _DEAL WITH IT_!

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**Chyaputa 9: Possessed Dark Soul**

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Yugi entered Malik's room the next day, a full tray of food in hand. The guard positioned himself beside the door then nodded politely to Yugi. Yugi nodded back and then turned to face his sadistic violet-eyed host.

"You're late," Malik snapped. Yugi jumped. How could he be late? He had only been told barely minutes before that Malik wanted to see him. "Come over here," he ordered. Yugi hesitated. "Don't worry, I'm not going to try to control you again," he mused grinning, violet eyes twinkling playfully. Yugi cautiously walked to his side and set the tray on the ground. "Food," Malik ordered and opened his mouth.

"Soup, beef, or vegetables?" Yugi asked picking up the chopsticks.

"Um… I feel meaty today," Malik answered. Yugi fed him a piece of beef.

'Malik seems to be in a good mood today,' Yugi mused silently, wiping Malik's mouth with a napkin.

_Let's hope he stays that way, _the other Yugi answered skeptically.

At that moment, Malik suddenly groaned and closed his eyes tightly as if he were in pain.

"Are you okay?" Yugi asked concerned, putting a hand on the other patient's shoulder. Malik pulled himself up slowly.

"Yeah… I'm fine. Just a headache, I get them all the time," he answered stiffly, opening his eyes again. "Damn, wish I had my arms back," he cursed quietly. "They won't even take this damn jacket off when I go to bed." Yugi stared sympathetically and helped him back up in a sitting position. "I mean, it's damn uncomfortable!" Malik complained. Yugi smiled comfortingly.

"Do you want some more food?" Yugi asked.

"Actually I'm sleepy. I think I'll take a nap," he answered, mouth widening in a huge yawn. Yugi was about to get up to leave when Malik's head landed on Yugi's shoulder. Yugi almost jumped at the contact. "You're comfy," Malik muttered closing his eyes and making him self comfortable. Yugi froze not sure what he should.

"Ah, M-Malik…" Yugi he started nervously. Malik dug his forehead into the soft spot of Yugi's neck, snoring lightly. Yugi's body went rigid, nerves tingling.

'Well, he at least he's not hurting anyone…' Yugi thought nervously, as he felt his other self flare with anger at the dark-skinned teen's action. An awkward silence filled the room, Yugi tapping his foot absent mindedly on the floor, trying to ignore the now drooling patient using him as a pillow.

"Malik…" Yugi whispered, glancing down to see if Malik was really asleep or just trying to make him nervous on purpose. Malik made no response though his slow steady breathing seemed to indicate that the Egyptian was indeed asleep. Yugi sighed, if he let Malik just sleep on him like this he'd be there for a while and Yugi's back was already in pain from trying to hold up Malik's weight as well as his own slightly slouched position. On the other hand, Ishtar was really counting on him to take care of her brother…

'Maybe just for an hour…' Yugi suggested. His other personality seethed with silent suppressed anger but made no comment. Yugi placed an arm around Malik's shoulders, trying to make himself more comfortable.

Then all sudden, Malik cried out, sat up, his face twisted with pain. "Malik? Is everything alright?" Yugi asked worriedly.

"Damn! My head…" Malik gasped. An aching paralyzing pain was slowly spreading up Malik's spine; he could barely breathe. Then before Yugi could say anything there was a white-hot flash of pain blinded Malik's eyes; his skull felt like it was being split open. "My head!" he complained, groaning as he fell onto the floor.

"Malik? What's wrong?" Yugi asked, panic rising in his voice. "Malik? Something's wrong with him, get help!" Yugi cried to the guard across the room. The guard nodded hastily and rushed out of the room, the door slamming closed behind him.

'This can't happen now! It's not even dark yet!' Malik thought as the darkness poured in through his mouth, suffocating him. His head was throbbing with immeasurable pain; the pressure building up in his brain felt as though at any minute it might explode.

"Malik? They're getting help," Yugi said trying to stay calm but his voice squeaked.

"Y-you- have to get out…" Malik gasped urgently and his body shivered and convulsed again.

"What's going on, Malik?" Yugi said, trying to keep his voice from screaming. "What do you mean I have to get out!" Yugi cried. Suddenly there was a loud pop in his ears and, by some unknown source, Yugi was thrown back, flat against the opposite wall. The air rushed out of his lungs and his limbs went limp but he didn't drop to the floor. In fact when Yugi finally got oxygen back into his lungs again he found he couldn't move his arms from the wall's surface.

_Aibou, what's wrong? _his double asked urgently. _We have to get out of here! _

"I can't move!" Yugi cried panicked, struggling against invisible restraints. "I'm stuck to the wall! I don't know how to get off!"

One last blood-curdling scream from Malik made Yugi looked up with a gasp. Something was radiating off his friend's crouched form, an odd shimmer in the air like heat waves from a mirage. It curled up toward the ceiling; the very yellow light from the ceiling lamps above seemed to curve away from his body. Yugi saw a tall dark shape stand up across the room. The lights seemingly becoming unnaturally dimmer even though Yugi knew that no one had turned them off.

"Malik?" Yugi asked nervously. The shadowy figure that was Malik let out a low chuckle. Yugi's body shivered. Malik began to walk towards him, head bent low so Yugi couldn't see his face. The hair on the back of Yugi's neck started to prickle unpleasantly.

"Mou hitori no boku…" Yugi whispered, voice tightened by fear.

"Well, well, it's so relaxing to be in control once again…" a low sinister voice snickered. The dark figure lifted his head and the air froze in Yugi's lungs. It was Malik but not the Malik Yugi had come to visit that day. His face was twisted, horrible veins popping through his flesh. His hair was wild and spiky, the thickness of the room causing it practically to stand up on its own. His eyes were wide and pale with madness, sharp with evil as Bakura's had been when his dark side took over, but there was something different about this Malik from the dark side of Bakura. There was no intelligence or cunning intertwining with his malice, only pure uncontrolled darkness.

As Yugi watched him grin, he thought he could see the side of his face stretch briefly and then contract again. Yugi's arms trembled; cold sweat was dripping down his face.

"He puts up such a pathetic fight to keep control of the body but eventually, its always ends the same," the other Malik mused deathly casual. There came a sickening pop that made Yugi flinch. The cloth underneath the straight jacket relaxed and Malik twisted around in the sleeve.

'He dislocated his own arm!' Yugi realized, his stomach rolling, nausea boiling up in his throat.

"It causes him so much pain when he fights but, how lovely he screams!" the dark creature in front of Yugi explained sickly twisting his limbs inside the jacket. "So fragile and easy to play with." He grinned again and pulled the straight jacket off as though it was nothing but a sweater. Another nasty pop and his arms were back in their proper place. He sighed refreshed to be free of the restraints, rolling his neck and stretching his arms grotesquely as though he had just woken up from a long nap. Yugi, still stuck to the wall, could do nothing but watch in disgust.

The familiar electronic whirling of the door to cell about to open sounded across the room. Yugi turned relieved, his rescue was only moments away. Malik's dark personality scowled with distaste and flicked his hand at the door.

There was another pop in Yugi's ears and then a loud bang as the door crumbled like tin foil. The doors were dented inward almost as though a gigantic hammer had smashed it, unable to open. This dark Malik laughed, his high, cold, shrill voice filling the room.

"Now what to do with you…" he said turning to Yugi, still attached to the wall.

"Malik…?" Yugi asked. He knew it was useless, he could barely keep his own voice from trembling. Malik grinned, the side of his face stretched unpleasantly again.

"Main personality? He's somewhere inside me but he's not coming out any time soon." He grinned impishly. "Though he seems rather troublesome, compared to me he really is the better character. After all…" His deadly eyes gleamed with excitement. "He is afraid of the dark unlike me," his voice raised in anticipation. "I love it! I live on it. I breathe in its emptiness and loneness and feel revived!" There were noises of people trying to break in through the door, but both the people in the room ignored it. The dark personality of Malik grinned and placed two claw-like fingers under Yugi's trembling chin forcing him to look up.

"He acts so tough on the outside, only I can hear his painful cries." Yugi could see a close up of his pulsing veins in his temple and his wide and dead eyes. It made Yugi sick to look into them. "Inside he's so very weak and fragile…"

_Aibou… _he double warned. _Let me take control…_

Yugi nodded inwardly with relief. He allowed himself to fall back, but it was different than before. He felt his other personality catch him gently and let him float beside him in the consciousness. Now Yugi could see everything that was going on, even though his body was outside his control.

There was a bright golden light that broke through the darkness. The dark Malik stepped back as with a loud snap the binds holding Yugi's body to the wall broke. Yugi could see his other self take hold of the body and stand, a fierce glow in his intense red eyes.

"You will _not_ touch aibou again, Malik!" he threatened stepping away from the wall, raw power leaking out through his rage. The other Malik's pale eyes widened in mild interest.

"Oh, so there is another of you as well!" the dark Malik said, deadly eyes examining Yugi's new form maliciously. "So, we are not the only ones…" This time it was Yugi's eyes that widened in surprise.

"We? You know of Bakura?" he questioned.

The other Malik frowned; looking thoroughly annoyed at this obstructing question. "I've never met him in person, but I can hear his damned host from in my cell every night," he answered, face twisting once again into an expression of sick joy. "I can feel his sweet overwhelming misery." He laughed again. Dark Yugi's eardrums throbbed.

"You find pleasure in other people's pain?" he snarled, his power and hatred rippling in the air. "You sick bastard!"

Malik shrugged. "Don't be so hasty to die, I'll have plenty with fun for you later," he said smoothly.

"And what makes you think I'll be so easy to get rid of?" the other Yugi scoffed, red eyes narrowing. "I won't let you hurt anyone, Malik!"

"Oh, and what's makes you think you can control what I do?" Malik retorted in the same manner. They glared at each other with such intensity that the very air surrounding them was ringing. Then all the sudden there was a loud bang followed by another loud bang and the electric doors on the other side of the room were forced open.

"Malik!" Ishtar-sensei cried as three guards poured into the room and lined up behind her, their tranquilizer guns aimed for his chest. Malik's dark personality turned grinning, unfazed by the guns pointed at him.

"Ne-san," he said degradingly, fangs curled in a nasty smirk. "You wouldn't hurt your little brother, would you? Well, I suppose you've already done so before…" Her eyes narrowed glaring at her sibling. Yugi locked his eyes on the doctor, watching to see what she would do.

"I don't want to do this," she said firmly, arm raised, ready to signal the men behind her to fire, "but you leave me no choice, Malik."

"Oh? Does saying that make you feel any better?" Malik's dark personality asked in a low mild voice, arms crossed over his chest, eyes half open in relaxed amusement. Ishtar's stony face faltered for a second then returned, more indifferent than ever.

"No, it doesn't." Her arm fell. The guns fired and the darts flew straight at Malik's chest. Malik waved his hand again and the darts froze in mid air and were thrown back. He laughed, high voice splitting the air. The other Yugi looked on the ground and found the metal tray that Yugi had used to carry Malik's food. He snatched it up and slammed the tray with all his strength into the back of Malik's head. There was a loud clang and Malik faltered and lurched forward onto the ground, clutching the back of his head.

He turned, angry white eyes ablaze. "You-" he started threateningly.

"Fire!" Ishtar screamed and before Malik could react, the darts hit him. He roared in anger and slowly stumbled to the floor, the drug starting to take effect. The other Yugi sighed with relief and dropped the tray to the floor. The guards ran to restrain the semi-unconscious dark Malik on the padded ground. Dark Yugi looked up to see Ishtar watching him suspiciously.

'I think I should leave now. Aibou?' he called silently.

_Right here! _Yugi answered. He could feel himself being pulled back up and found with some surprise to be suddenly in control of all his limbs again. In his shock Yugi's knees suddenly wobbled and he forcefully sat down on the ground, slightly light headed.

'I'll have to get used to this,' he thought. He could feel his other half grin.

"Are you alright?" Ishtar asked offering a cautious hand. Yugi took it and helped himself to his feet.

"Yeah," he answered slightly shaky. "Fine…" He wobbled and Ishtar took a hold of his arm.

"I can't believe I asked you to come here! I'm so sorry, I didn't think this would happen," she explained helping him out to the door and to a chair right outside of it.

"So that's Malik's other half?" Yugi asked conversationally then immediately regretted bringing up the subject. Ishtar looked down, shame and sadness reflecting in her tired blue eyes. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that…" Ishtar shook it off.

"No, it's fine," she muttered looking up again. "He doesn't usually come out. I myself have once seen him three times before, when he does…" she shook her head. Yugi stared at her.

'If only I could do something to help her…'

"Ishtar-sensei," he began then hesitated. "What if this wasn't a disorder?" he suggested awkwardly. Ishtar's eyes widened in suspicion.

"What do you mean?" she asked skeptically. Yugi twitched his fingers nervously.

"What if there was something else causing Malik, Bakura and me to act like this?" he asked uncertainly not looking at her. Ishtar stared.

"What else would it be?" she asked eyebrows raising.

"I don't know maybe…" he paused trying to make his next sentence not sound totally ridiculous, "possession or something?" Ishtar stared again.

"You mean like ghosts?" she asked with a small amused smile. Yugi frowned.

"Or something else, but that's not the point," Yugi said talking faster to keep Ishtar attention focused. "What if your brother wasn't insane? What if there was another cause of it?"

"But what else is there?" she asked again.

"I don't know what but what if-"

"Yugi, I'm a doctor, I believe in science," Ishtar explained seriously putting a pitying hand on Yugi's shoulder. "I understand you are trying to help but I cannot help my brother and you by chasing 'what if's and fairy tales…"

"But that's not what I meant!" Yugi explained desperately. Ishtar smiled.

"You're tired, Yugi. I'll get someone to show you back to your room…"

"But-" Ishtar stopped him with a stern look.

"I mean it, Yugi, that's enough," she said firmly and went back into her brother's room to get a guard. Yugi sighed and slouched in his chair.

"That's not what I meant…" he repeated glumly.

_Possession? _his other self chuckled humorously. Yugi frowned.

"Shut up…" he muttered depressed.

(-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-)

It took a lot of painful convincing for Yugi to finally get Ishtar to let him back into Bakura's cell again, but after his experience with the dark side of Malik he wanted to test something out. The electric doors opened once again into Bakura's room and Yugi entered cautiously carrying a box of puzzle pieces. His double was pressed so close to him in their conciseness Yugi didn't have much space to think, ready to step in if the dark Bakura showed his face again. But it was the normal gaming-loving side of Bakura that was sitting at the table when Yugi entered.

"Hi Bakura-kun," Yugi greeted cheerfully taking another step towards the table. Bakura looked up opened his mouth to say something then closed it. The air changed, power and intensity shook the room. Bakura's eyes narrowed and darkened.

"Get out! I told you not to come in here again…" he threatened standing up. A mysterious wind whipped around the dark Bakura's body as he walked toward Yugi.

_Aibou…_ his other side warned warily.

"Wait! Listen to me!" Yugi pleaded. Bakura's dark personality stopped, examining Yugi harshly.

"What?" he snapped, dark eyes flashing dangerously. Yugi lifted up the puzzle box.

"Look, I brought I game for us to play together," he said shrilly, bending forward in a sort of hunched bow. The dark Bakura blinked, shocked by this unexpected request. "I only came here to talk to Bakura. We have no intention of hurting him." The dark Bakura scowled distastefully, looking at the puzzle box in Yugi's out stretched hands. Yugi and his double waited for his decision, nerves tingling.

"Fine," the other Bakura said sharply. "But _he_," he ordered pointedly, "isn't allowed to be out, or in the consciousness at all."

_What! _Yugi's other side cried, outraged._ No, I'm not leaving aibou!_

"Mou hitori no boku, its okay," Yugi said out loud. "I'll be fine I can take care of myself."

_But… _his other self protested. Yugi smiled reassuringly.

"I'll be fine. Don't worry," Yugi answered calmly. There was a long pause.

_If he even touches you… _he began, Yugi nodded in understanding. _Be careful. _

"I will," Yugi said. His other half sighed reluctantly and then Yugi felt him slowly faded way from Yugi's conscious mind, locking himself away from the living world. Yugi could barely feel him buried within the depths of his consciousness. He felt strange. After hours of struggling to feel or hear his other personality, Yugi's head was too quiet now that he was the only one in his mind again. Yugi tried to put this strange new feeling out of his thoughts and turned to see the normal Bakura's wide brown eyes blinking as if he had just awoken from a deep sleep. He spotted Yugi in front of him.

"Yugi-kun?" he asked confused, looking around as though he had missed something important. "What are…" Yugi smiled.

"I brought a puzzle for us to put together," Yugi said putting the box down on the table. "I thought it would be a nice change from coloring."

Bakura paused for a moment still wondering where he was but sat down at the table anyway. "Sure, that would be great. Thanks," he answered nodding eagerly.

(-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-)

Ishtar watched the security tape over and over again, her mind pondering the contents of the scene before her. Yugi had talked to the dark side of Bakura and actually convinced him bring his normal personality back out. It was impossible! How had he done it? In her five years of studying her patients, interacting with them and coaching them through therapy sessions, she had never been able to make as much progress with Bakura as Yugi had made in that two-hour visit. Yugi obviously knew something she didn't.

Frustrated, she paused the tape. The frame froze on a picture of the dark personality of Bakura's face. Ishtar's insides squirmed unpleasantly; icy knives climbed up her spine. She didn't know what but there was something about this side of Bakura that scared her, more than anything else she could imagine.

There was a white flash in Ishtar's mind again. She gasped and as a sharp familiar pain pierced her throat. She clutched her neck with trembling fingers.

'Not again,' she pleaded closing her eyes.

Another flash of light inside her eyelids blinded her; she could smell blood and see red all over her. Ishtar forced her eyes open again and the illusion disappeared. Her mouth was hanging open forcing air into her lungs. One hand gripped her armrest firmly trying to calm herself down; the other was still at her throat.

'It's only a dream,' she convinced herself firmly. 'This vision doesn't mean anything!'

There was a sudden loud knock at the door, snapping Ishtar's attention back to the world of reality. Ishtar took a long deep breath, collecting her wits again, and turned off the TV. "Enter," she called, placing her hands calmly in her lap. A large man with a thick neck walked in, the brown-nosed Ringo-sensei entering in behind him.

"Kudamono-sama, I was not expecting you," Ishtar greeted in strained politeness.

"Indeed," the large man said haughtily. "I've heard some disturbing rumors about what's been going on in your project…" the man continued standing very stiffly in his gray tweed business suit. Ishtar shot a skeptical glare at Ringo-sensei; the doctor flinched.

"Well, I'm not quite sure what you've heard but everything is going smoothly," she reassured. Kudamono snorted, his great bulk shaking unpleasantly.

"I've heard you've been letting your patients meet one another, Ishizu-san." Ishtar's insides grew cold. "This is simply unethical, I can not allow it!"

"You've heard incorrectly," Ishtar answered stiffly. "I have done no such thing."

"Really?" the man questioned, beady little eyes narrowing. "Because I have several sources that say other wise."

"With all respect, Kudamono-sama, this is my project," she answered sharply.

"And many people are starting to question your ability to complete the project, considering your… history with _that_ patient." Ishtar, once again, glared at Ringo.

"I assure you, my brother's involvement only increases my determination to finish what _I_ have started," she said jaw clenched in irritation. Ringo jumped out from behind the large man with a triumphant shout.

"HA! See! I told you Kudamono-sama; she is out of control! As head of this hospital you have the obligation to remove her before one of her patients becomes even more physically or mentally damaged than they already are!" Ishtar shot out of her chair angrily, her desk shaking in her sudden movement.

"You promised me when I joined this hospital that I would have full control over this project! My contract says so!" she cried. The large man shook his head.

"Yes… but your contract also says that if I find your performance is harmful to the patients under your control I have the liberty to remove them from your care," Kudamono explained sternly, sausage-like fingers toying with his ugly gray tie.

"I haven't harmed them! They are all-"

"I have evidence that one of your patients got seriously injured after his meeting with another one of your patients! A meeting that you arranged yourself!" Ringo answered shrilly, holding up a videotape smugly.

"Seriously injured! It was only a bruise!" Ishizu explained frantically, panic tightening her voice. "Barely anything to worry about-"

"So you admit to arranging their meeting then!" Ringo interrupted excitedly. Ishtar gaped, wide panicked eyes searching for an explanation.

"Kudamono-sama, I assure you-" but she knew it was useless.

"Ishizu-san, I'm afraid I have no choice to remove you from this case," he said gravely, shaking his head again. Ishtar's insides froze; she couldn't breathe. Behind Kudamono, Ringo was grinning wickedly with success. "Do not worry, I shall place the care of your brother and the others in Ringo-sensei's capable hands," he explained.

"It would be my honor," Ringo answered gratefully with a small bow. The Head of the Hospital nodded and then turned back to the stunned Ishtar.

"For your actions I could easily have you thrown out of the medical field all together but sense you are quite a valuable asset to this institution I will move you down to the Green level patients," he explained and turned to leave. "Be grateful that you still have a job."

Ishtar was trembling with anger, her hands shaking in her wrath. "Grateful?" she questioned, voice unsteady. "I will not leave my brother in the hands of this incompetent fool!" she cried. Her fingers pried open a secret compartment under her desk and her hands closed around the object's smooth cool handle.

"What?" exclaimed Ringo. Kudamono frowned disappointedly.

"Ishizu-san, you-" Kudamono began. Ishtar brought the small handgun up the side of the man's head.

"Go to hell," she hissed and without a second thought pulled the trigger. Ringo screamed as droplets of the CEO's blood spluttered on the walls and carpet. The Head of the Hospital's body fell to the ground, a shocked whitened expression on his fat face. She turned the gun toward Ringo; the other doctor fell over in his fear.

"I-Ishizu-san, be r-reasonable! P-people will hear the gun shot- you don't want to go to jail-" he squeaked.

"I don't care what happens to me," she explained her eyes deadly calm, Ringo's face slowly filling up with horror. "I will not let you take my brother away from me," she said her voice cold and harsh. There was another loud crack and the other doctor fell dead upon the floor.

The room filled up with silence; Ishtar could not even hear the sound of her own breathing. The gun slipped from her weak fingers, carelessly falling onto the floor. What now? What was she to do now? Someone would of heard the gunshot and if not they would discover the bodies sooner or later.

'I have no choice,' she decided, her face stony and determined. 'I can't wait any longer. It has to be tonight.'

(-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-)

"Well, I'd say it was a successful day!" Yugi said cheerfully, falling back onto his bed, arms tucked underneath his head. "That puzzle was so much fun and Bakura-kun seemed to enjoy himself."

_You seem quite joyous as well, _Yugi's phantom observed, his voice slightly depressed.

"What's wrong? Are you still upset that the other Bakura made you go away?" Yugi asked, sitting up on his cot.

_No, _his other self lied hastily. _I'm glad you and Bakura had a good time…_ he insisted glumly. Yugi stared at the walls of his prison thoughtfully.

"To tell you the truth, it was weird not having you there," Yugi explained casually, his eyes concentrating on the bandaged hand in his lap "I guess I've gotten so used to you being by my side… I just felt so empty."

'Why am I telling him this?' Yugi thought. His other personality didn't answer. There was an awkward silence echoing through their link. Yugi changed the subject. "I'm glad I could help out Bakura-kun though! He seemed so lonely when we first met him."

_Y-yeah, _his other self agreed awkwardly. They both had no idea what to say.

"It's really strange actually," Yugi pondered forehead wrinkled slightly in concentration. "Ishtar-sensei seems more afraid of Bakura-kun than Malik."

_Well, she is related to him… _his other self suggested logically.

"But doesn't the other Malik, in some ways, seem a little bit more psychotic than the other Bakura," Yugi asked.

_I don't know_. _I don't like either of them_, his other self answered firmly. Yugi sighed and shook his head.

All the sudden, there came a scream from next door. Yugi looked wildly around.

"Did you hear that?" Yugi asked urgently standing up from his bed.

_It sounded like Bakura, _his other self answered. Yugi ran over to the tiny window in his door, trying to see if something was happening outside.

"I can't see anything!" Yugi cried, standing on the tip of his toes, straining to look around the frame of the window.

Again, Bakura's shrill cry echoed dully through the wall only this time it was abruptly cut off. Yugi's stomach dropped unpleasantly; something bad was happening, he could feel it.

"Bakura-kun!" Yugi tried to cry through the cell to his friend, placing both his hands on the wall in front of him. "BAKURA!" There was dead silence. Yugi placed his ear right up against the wall, straining to hear something, anything on the other side, the sound of his own rapidly beating heart making his eardrums ring.

'What's going on in there?' Yugi wondered desperately. A loud click interrupted his thoughts as the door to Yugi's own cell suddenly unlocked. It opened and Ishtar-sensei stepped inside, her white doctor's coat rustling ominously behind her. Yugi sighed in relief, his rigid body temporarily relaxing.

"Ishtar-sensei, I heard a noise in Bakura's room! It sounds like he's been attacked!" Yugi explained urgently. The doctor didn't move, her sharp eyes fixed on her patient. Yugi's eyes widened in disbelief. "You have to go over there and see what's happened!"

"I know what's happened…" she answered smoothly. Ishtar took one casual step to the side and three guards filed in behind her. Yugi gaped, stunned for a brief moment.

"What are you doing?" he asked weakly, wide panicked eyes staring around at the men surrounding him.

"I'm sorry, Yugi," she answered emotionlessly and the guards grabbed him.

_Aibou! _his double cried. Yugi thrashed his puny arms against the over-sized guards' limbs. One of them twisted Yugi's arms behind his back and forced him down, kneeling on the floor. Ishtar didn't even blink, her face blank as stone as she took a needle out of her pocket.

"Why are you doing this, Ishtar-sensei?" Yugi questioned shrilly, struggling uselessly. The doctor approached slowly, carelessly taking the cap off of the needle.

"This case is the most important thing to me," she answered kneeling down beside him.

_Aibou! _his double cried in Yugi mind but his voice seemed too far away.

"I will not let anyone take it away from me," she continued and drove the needle into Yugi's neck. Yugi gasped and there was an odd burning sensation in his neck, the drug taking effect almost immediately.

"Mou… hitori no bo…" and all around him went black.

* * *

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

* * *

WOOOOOOOOOO! YAY! CLIFFIE!

Oh, Malik, you mischievous little imp you.

Malik: (sleeps on Yugi)

Yugi: (gulp) Help.

Yami no Yugi: MINE! (grabs Yugi)

Malik: (cries)

Yami no Malik: (slaps Yami no Yugi) BITCH!

Um… maybe I'm getting I little too carried away…

For the record I really _do_ want people to give me constructive criticism so I can improve my writing. So please don't feel bad about pointing out my mistakes, that's the only way I can learn.

**NEXT CHAPTER!** CONFUSION AND REALLY BIG STUFF! EXPLOSIONS? EXPLANATIONS?What the HELL is going on! Ishtar's got a plan that means bad news for Yugi and company. Jounouchi and Kaiba return! YAY!

REVIEW MY WONDERFUL READER PEOPLE!

REVIEW!


	10. Magical Scientist

Late, again. (shame) Although this time I have a reason. I had to go up north to visit blood relations, had to sit in a car for 6 hours straight both ways. It wasn't that bad though, I slept most the time, didn't get any writing done though. (more shame)

While I was writing I liked to divide this story into three climaxes. The first climax is about to begin, won't say anymore then that, mwahahaha.

Japanese term for this chapter, actually it appeared in the last chapter but who's counting: "Mou hitori no boku" means "my other self" in English. Yugi calls Yami no Yugi that in the anime and manga. I use it because it always sounds stupid for Yugi to say "my other self" repeatedly but that's just me.

Oh yeah, "yadonushi" means host/landlord/master, take your pick. Yami no Bakura calls Bakura that in the manga when he's introducing himself. See, in the manga, Yami no Bakura and Bakura actually _talk_ to each other! Proving once again the manga is so much cooler than the anime, WOOT!

This chapter was brought to you by: science fiction of many sorts

Enjoy.

* * *

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 

**Chyaputa 10: Magical Scientist**

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

* * *

The fuzzy nothingness was ringing dully around him, blanketing Yugi's thoughts in unconsciousness. Tiny noises began to seep inat first then louder ones slowly filled his empty mind. Yugi could feel a hard, cold flat surface beneath him, quiet and steady beeping echoing around his head. His fingers twitched restlessly. An electric wire of pain shot up his arm into his brain. He flinched. 

'Where… am… I…?' he thought sluggishly. The noises grew louder, so loud that his head was starting to ache.

A cry of rage shattered his remaining dormancy. Yugi's violet eyes snapped open. A gray unfamiliar ceiling was hanging above him, the sounds of electronic equipment hummed and beeped around him. He tried to sit up but found cold metal restraints at his waist, ankles and wrists and a metal band across his forehead, holding his body in place.

"What the…?" There was another ear splitting roar of frustration. Yugi shifted his head as far as it would go to the side, his eyes squinting from the throbbing pain in his skull. He saw the dark personality of Bakura locked just as Yugi was onto a table next to him, desperately struggling at the restraints.

"Bakura-kun…" Yugi's voice came out in a weak squeak. "Where…?" Bakura ignored him, focused on trying to set himself free.

_Aibou? _the voice echoed painfully around in his mind. Yugi winced. _Are you okay? _he asked frantically.

"I'm not sure…" Yugi answered vaguely, drowsy eyes squinting at the ceiling. "Where are we?" he asked quietly looking around as thoroughly as the metal headgear would allow.

_I don't know. I blacked out right after you did._ Blacked out? Suddenly the memory came back to him. Bakura's shouting, Ishtar-sensei entering his room and attacking him with her guards. Yugi's eyes scanned the scene around him more frantically.

"Did Ishtar-sensei bring us here?" Yugi asked gaze darting from one side of the room to the next.

_Probably… _the other answered skeptically. The walls were lined with loud humming machines and blinking lights. Yugi had the disturbing impression of being in a mad scientist's laboratory like the kind one would see in one of those old science fiction movies. As he examined the metal bindings that restrained him he also found several wires attached to his flesh, all connected to large devices with flashing wide screen monitors full of strange unreadable graphs and readings.

"I can't see over the table, do you know if Malik's here?" Yugi asked his other personality.

"Shit, my head hurts…" someone spoke from behind Bakura. Yugi recognized the speaker's voice.

"Malik! Are you there?" Yugi cried back, straining against his confinement to look over Bakura's table, who was paying absolutely no attention to conversation happening around him.

"Yugi…?" the voice spoke again. "Where the hell am I?" There was a groan as if Malik had tried to sit up. "And why am I tied down!" he cried his voice raising in pitch. Yugi could hear the futile struggles of Malik fighting his restraints just Bakura had done.

There was the sound of a door opening and light from the outside hall way floated into the room. There was a click and the ceiling lights were turned on. Malik, whose table was closest to the doorway, suddenly growled.

"You bitch! What have you done to me!" Malik snarled kicking uselessly at the metal bindings. Ishtar's calm stoic figure came into view. She swept the room with her deep blue gaze, taking in the three unhappy captives on the medical tables.

"I see you are all awake," she observed mildly, eyes turned down to her clipboard.

"Ishtar-sensei, why did you bring us here?" Yugi asked struggling to keep his eyes on her as she circled the room, checking the machinery and writing notes on her clipboard. "What are you planning to do to us?"

"Do to you?" she repeated, looking down at Yugi's medical table. "I'm going to save you," she answered simply, turning her blue eyes to meet his. They were abnormally clear and sharp, firm resolve reflected in their depths.

'She's serious…' Yugi thought as his breath caught in his throat.

"Release me now!" Malik demanded harshly. "Let me GO!" he screamed. Ishtar ignored her sibling protests, turned away from Yugi and walked over to the control panel at the front of the cramped room. The sound of the rapid clicking of keys under the doctor's fingers floated passed Yugi's ears.

"I've tried everything," the doctor explained. "But nothing worked, drugs, treatments, therapy… nothing. I don't want my brother to go through anymore pain…"

"You're the one who's been causing me pain!" Malik shrieked angrily, thrashing his limbs hopelessly. "You're the one who's trapped me in here!"

"Yes, I am," she agreed, her voice dangerously low, her speedy fingers pausing, over the keyboard. Yugi strained his neck to watch her sad eyes drift to the floor. "I began to think that if all I had done till now has only cause Malik pain then why should I continue?" she choked. Across the room Malik grew suddenly silent. "But then some time ago, I noticed that when Malik transformed he radiated a strange dark energy," the doctor explained, slowly reclaiming her old formal tone.

'Dark energy?' Yugi pondered resting his aching neck back on the table.

"I didn't understand what it meant, I thought I was seeing things but then I saw Bakura and the same thing happened," she continued, hands clenching and unclenching nervously at her sides. Her blue eyes were wide; staring transfixed into her memories. "I studied this strange energy for three years. I sent a proposal to the hospital, asking them to fund my studies on this mysterious compound but they laughed it off saying I should focus on my patients. Then when I thought all hope was lost I was approached by a man who offered me money to keep Kaiba Seto in the hospital."

"Kaiba-kun!" Yugi cried unbelievingly. "So he was right? You were being paid to keep him here?"

She lifted her head up, eyes breaking out of their trace, focusing and then narrowing as they landed on Yugi. "Yes. I'm not proud of it but I needed that money to fund my research. Finally some kind of progress! And then you came, Yugi," she added sharply. "And I saw it again! When you were fighting that patient Keith, that exact same shadowy energy engulfing you two when you were fighting!" Yugi flinched that the memory of Keith's unconscious body lying on the floor but didn't voice a response. "It can't be a coincidence. This has to be the answer," she concluded staring hypnotized at the flashing lights on the control board in front of her.

"But what are you trying to do to us?" Yugi questioned, taking hold of his voice again. "What can you possibly get from bringing us here?"

"I've found that with these special machines, I can manipulate the energy that you radiated during your transformation. Not a large enough amount to do anything critical but…" She began to type on the keyboard once again. There was a clinch of metal and machines around them began to light up, spurring into motion.

"What are you doing?" Malik exclaimed. An eerie chill shook Yugi's spine; he didn't like how those machines had wires attached to his arms and legs.

"By cutting the dark energy that bonds you to your dark side, I'm going to separate the sides of your personalities," she explained calmly not even looking up. Yugi froze.

_She's going to what?_ Yugi's other self cried, voice panicked.

"T-that's i-impossible…" Yugi stammered in shock.

"Of course, I've never actually tried this before…" she continued honestly. "But I'm confident it will work. After all, I already know this disorder is no ordinary sickness. Objects flying magicallyacross a room, nurses acting against their will, teenagers getting their lives taken away in a game…" She pressed a final button on the keyboard and stepped back satisfactorily. "This can be the only way…" Three individual glass cages were being lowered down on Malik, Bakura and Yugi. The dark Bakura's struggles intensified, Malik screamed as the glass walls sealed closed around him.

"You bitch! Let me out of here!" he shrieked, his voice echoing painfully on the sides of his glass cage. Ishtar stared at him from across the room pitifully.

"This time Malik I promise, I will save you," she answered, a relieved smile lighting up her dull face.

"Ishtar-sensei! You can't do this!" Yugi shouted through the transparent cage, his own voice ringing around him. "I understand you're desperate but what you're doing is wrong! You've already caused Kaiba-kun to suffer at your hand, do you really want the possible death of you brother to weigh on your conscience as well!" But even as Yugi's throat grew dry from shouting, he knew it was no good. Ishtar's face did not flinch or falter once at his words, she was even not looking at him anymore. She turned silently away from him before he even finished his last sentence.

"I have already considered the possibilities," she answered not facing him, "but this still the only way…" Yugi's arms shook, fear crawlingdowninto his stomach making him sick.

_It's no use. She's already lost all hope, _his double said sadly. _To her, there is no other choice…_

"But there's always another choice!" Yugi protested.

'If she does this… if she actually manages to separate us, I'll be alone again…' Yugi thought silently, terror creeping into his mind.

"LET ME OUT! YOU BITCH!" Malik screeched. Yugi could hear fear and panic echo in his words. The doctor was unmoved;staring fixedly on the control panel in front of her, a hopeful almost insane light glowing in her eyes.

"Bakura Ryou," she called. The dark Bakura did not look up. "To complete this experiment the original personality must be in control of the body. Please switch now," she ordered. Bakura acted as though he hadn't heard her. Ishtar frowned in deep irritation. "Switch now!" she demanded harshly. Inside his cage, Bakura snarled.

"Like I would willingly hand over my yadonushi's soul to you!" the dark personality of Bakura spat nastily, dark eyes flashing dangerously, his mess of white hair settling on his head like razor sharp spikes. Ishtar's face faltered, fingers suspended over the keyboard, her eyes nervously twitched over to her sibling than to the controls again.

"I-it doesn't matter!" she decided impulsively and began to type again. "As long as Malik's ok…" The machines overhead spurred into movement.

"You can't do this, Ishtar-sensei!" Yugi cried shrilly. "You can't sacrifice Bakura-kun and I for your brother! Please, Ishtar-sensei!" But she ignored their protests.

'She can't,' Yugi pleaded, squeezing his eyes so tight they stung. 'She can't take him away from me. Please, she can't… please…'

"Initiating sequence," the doctor said mechanically. There was a hiss and the wires attached to Yugi's skin shot electric currents through his veins, fiery hot pain coursing afterward. Yugi's screams resonated dully off the glass walls and echoed through his skull.

_Aibou! _his other self cried desperately. _Hang on Aibou! _The burning electric current stopped and there was a split second of absolute dead silence. Yugi's mouth fell open, trying to gasp for air. All the sudden he noticed almost invisible dark red lights floating around him, radiating off his sweating skin andswirling in the air likesteam.

'What's that…?' he wondered silently, too weak to speak. No sooner had he thought this then an aching throb shook through his limp body. There was a pain-filled cry inside his head; his other personality was screaming.

Yugi sensed movement below him. He turned his head and was surprised to see a figure kneeling on the ground. The person looked exactly like himself, like he was a Yugi's twin or clone. This double cried out again, one hand clutching at his heart.

What was that? Who was that? There was a sharp pain in his chest as if an iron hand had just grabbed Yugi's heart. Could it be…? Was that him? Was that his other personality curled up on the ground beside him?

"M-mou hitori no b-boku?" Yugi asked, voice trembling, his own body weakened from the electrical attack of the wires. There was another deafening throb that echoed through Yugi's body and his darker side gasped in pain again. "Mou hitori no boku!" Yugi cried, suddenly panicking.

_My strength… _his other self gasped, the voice in Yugi's mind getting quieter, further away. _I can't feel…_ His hand was tightening on his chest. The same dark red aura was leaking like smoke out of his body, twinkling around him.

"Mou hitori no boku, you have to stay with me!" Yugi cried, eyes watering. "We have to stay together!" Then to Yugi's horror, his other half's form actually flickered, like a candle in the wind. He could see the double's color begin to slowly drain, fading into red sparkling smoke. "NO!" Yugi screamed; voice choked with tears.

There was a loud bang and Yugi's ears popped. He heard yet another angry roar then a crash of broken glass followed by a high pitched scream. Another air pressure pop and a large computer monitor flew right over Yugi's head, shattering the glass walls of his cage. The metal clamps holding Yugi down to the medical table, snapped open. Not even bothering to see who had released him, Yugi forced his limp aching body over the edge of the table and onto the floor next to his other self's hunched fading form. Yugi's trembling hand reached forward to grasp his other self's shoulder.

"M-mou hitori no boku…" he said shakily.

Yugi's hand touched his other self's shoulder. It felt like warm vibrating energy under his fingertips.

/I feel so weak…/ his double said, looking hopelessly at his hands, which had become transparent. His voice wasn't echoing out of Yugi's skull anymore; it sounded faint and small.

'But I can still see hear him so he must be okay,' Yugi convinced himself, resisting the urge to wrap his arms around his weakened other personality's neck.

/What happened/ his other half asked lifting up his head up stiffly and finally looking into Yugi's wide purple eyes.

His eyes were red, a dark intense familiar color.

Yugi was too shocked to speak. He forced himself to look around the room, tearing his eyes away from his other half's gaze. The glass walls of Bakura's and Malik's cages had also been smashed open. Yami no Bakura was leaning over a trembling Malik on the floor and Ishtar was no where to be seen. Dark Bakura turned around; his cold black eyes hooked Yugi's unsteady gaze.

"Bakura-kun…?" Yugi muttered in awe.

'Did he release us?' Yugi wondered. Bakura's dark personality stood up, dark brown eyes glowing in the dim light, unlike Yugi's other personality, he was not transparent but seemed to have stayed in control of the body.

"Can you walk?" he asked Yugi sharply. Yugi nodded then turned uncertainly to his double who was still kneeling on the ground.

/I don't think I can stand/ he admitted apologetically to Yugi before he had a chance to speak. Dark Bakura dusted stray fragments of glass off his white hospital shirt.

"What about Malik?" Yugi asked cautiously. The darker half of Bakura scoffed.

"If he can't move, we'll have to leave him," he answered indifferently. There was a loud complaint from the floor.

"I'm not dead!" Malik groaned in irritation. He sat up and touched the bleeding cut on his forehead with the tips of his fingers. Yugi ran over to examine the injury.

"It doesn't look too bad," Yugi said prodding the cut with a curious finger. Malik hissed with pain and jerked his head away from Yugi's hands.

"Don't poke it!" he exclaimed indignantly. Yugi grabbed his sleeve, about to rip of enough cloth to give Malik a makeshift bandage but dark Bakura stopped him.

"That will have to wait till later," he said walking over behind a table and reaching down to pick up something from the floor. "We have to get out of here as soon as possible." He came back up, a transparent ghostly form of his own host, Bakura Ryou, thrown casually over his shoulder.

"Bakura-kun!" Yugi exclaimed. "Is he alright?"

"Just unconscious," dark Bakura answered shortly, not looking at Yugi or his unconscious host.

"Wait! Where's the other Malik?" Yugi asked looking around again.

"Clearing the path for us," Yami Bakura said shrugging as a yet another loud bang echoed through the hallway, followed by all too familiar insane laughter.

/A little too enthusiastically/ the other Yugi muttered trying to struggle to his feet. Yugi rushed to his side.

"You shouldn't move," Yugi advised worriedly, wrapping an arm around his back. "Let me help you."

"We seemed to have interrupted the machine that Ishtar hooked us up to before it could complete its job," guessed Bakura's dark personality critically. "The halves that were becoming separated from the body seem to be having a worse time than us," he said, indicating his ghostly light personality who looked fast asleepin his arms.

"What about _him_?" growled Malik, indicating his dark side, awkwardly stumbling to his feet as well. "_He_ doesn't seem to having any problems," he spat, his head jerked toward the hallway, hate echoing in every syllable. Yami no Bakura shrugged.

"He'll probably feel it later," he answered. "Now lets go."

"What are we going to do now?" Yugi questioned, aiding his dark side over to the door.

"What else? We're breaking out of this accursed hospital," the dark side of Bakura side simply.

"But where will we go?' Yugi asked.

"Anywhere that's not here is fine with me," Malik cursed and spat distastefully on the floor.

"That's the idea," dark Bakura answered sharply and exited the room. Malik followed right behind him.

"Guess this is it then," Yugi said forebodingly, pulling himself and his double toward the door.

/Well, you did want to get out of here, right/ his other half reminded Yugi weakly. The hallway was covered with scattered medical carts, unconcscious hospital staff, broken lights that had been ripped from their spot on the ceiling and chunks of wall and ceiling plaster. As Yugi looked down the long corridor he saw every once in a while a large gaping whole in the wall.

"The other Maliksure has been busy," Yugi muttered uneasily.

/We'd better get out of here before the whole building collapses/ his reflection added.

"Hurry up!" Malik cried annoyed, arms crossing over his chest. Yugi nodded as he and his transparent double rushed forward, following behind Malik and dark Bakura.

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"There take that!" Jounouchi cried triumphantly, as, after a long grueling struggle, he was finally able to take Kaiba's rook. "How's that, rich boy!" he taunted gleefully, grinning like an idiot. Kaiba moved his queen next to Jounouchi's king.

"Check," he announced coldly.

"What?" Jounouchi cried outraged. "Another damn piece…" he cursed glaring at the board. Jounouchi closed his eyes in concentration and placed both hands around his head contemplating his next move.

"Just hurry it up, will you," Kaiba muttered as if he really couldn't care less about the ending of the game. Jounouchi frowned and moved a pawn forward into the path of the queen. Kaiba sighed took his pawn.

"Check," he said again. Jounouchi growled in frustration.

"I hate this game," he grumbled.

"Then why are you playing?" Kaiba asked mildly. Jounouchi turned his angry gaze up to Kaiba's face.

"You see anything else to do?" he snapped. Kaiba shrugged apathetically. That was true. There wasn't anything else to do. Jounouchi and Kaiba had been playing chess everyday for the passed two weeks. No reason why, Jounouchi was just sick of trying to avoid Otogi and Honda everywhere he went. At least chess helped take his mind off his "friends" and his aching leg, but, now that he thought of it, he didn't know why Kaiba was still tolerating him.

Jounouchi finally picked up his knight ready to make his move when a low far away boom echoed through the game room. He and Kaiba looked up.

"What was that?" Jounouchi asked. Kaiba shrugged. "Aren't you even the least bit curious?" questioned Jounouchi.

"Not really," he answered indifferently. There was another boom; this one sounded much closer. The other patients in the room were standing up and turning to each other questionably. There was a crackle of static and a woman's voice came out of the overhead speakers.

"All patients are ordered to please return to their respective rooms and stay there until further notice," the voice said. Chatter spread through out the room as nurses and doctors, some of them looking as confused as the patients, directed their charges to their rooms.

"What about that, huh?" Jounouchi asked rudely as the message was repeated.

"What about it?" Kaiba asked standing up. Jounouchi frowned stubbornly.

"Where are you going?" he growled.

"Back to the room. You coming, idiot?" he snapped. Jounouchi muttered something dark under his breath but stumbled grudgingly to his feet. Just then a pair of twittering nurses passed them, heads bowed down in secret conversation. Jounouchi caught a few words as they walked by.

"…in the Red Wing! Some kind of gas explosion?" one exclaimed. Jounouchi's eyes widened and he immediately turned away from the direction of the other patients.

"Where are you going? Our room is this way," Kaiba said seriously, grabbing his roommate's arm. Jounouchi's head snapped around, eyes glowing determinedly.

"They said there was a gas explosion in the Red wing!" Jounouchi explained fiercely. "Yugi's in there!" Jounouchi took Kaiba's temporary moment of hesitation to pull his arm away from the brunette and wobble off toward the lunch hall. Kaiba watched him walk away knowing that Jounouchi was about to do something very stupid.

'Why the hell should I care?' he thought and turned around ready to walk back to his. But he stopped, his feet wouldn't move, hands clenched at his sides. He hesitated then suddenly cursed out loud.

"Damn that idiot!" he swore and turned around to run after his roommate.

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Yugi was running down the hall as fast as he could while trying to support his other self. No matter how much his limbs ached Yugi told himself his darker half must have had it much worse. He was sure that if his double could actually breathe he would have been wheezing and panting for air by now. The thing that was strange was that the other personality's phantom-like form didn't even feel very heavy, in fact it was almost like Yugi's was holding warm condensed air under his arm.

'He'll be alright, I just have to get him out of here and he'll be fine,' Yugi told himself over and over again. Malik and Bakura had stopped, waiting for him to catch up.

"You're so slow, Yugi," Malik taunted although he didn't look much better than Yugi did. Yugi grinned apologetically, still gasping for air.

"Sorry," Yugi panted as he finally reached them. "Are you alright, Mou hitori no boku?" Yugi asked. His double nodded weakly.

/Sorry, for making you carry me/ he said, eyes closed and voice barely above a whisper.

"I'm sure you would do the same to me," Yugi answered holding his other self close to his side. His darker half grinned and leaned his head against Yugi's shoulder.

"Let's keep moving," dark Bakura said, holding his own transparent double over his shoulder. Malik and Yugi nodded but before they could start moving again, a loud screeching alarm erupted over their heads, red emergency lights flashing sending distorted shadows over the white walls.

"They've noticed we've escaped!" Malik cried over the alarm, hands clasped over his ears. Yugi probably would have done the same if he was not still holding onto his other personality's body.

"Come on!" Bakura shouted urgently as he turned and continued running down the hall. Malik and Yugi were about to follow when Yugi suddenly heard that familiar electric whirring of a door about to close and Malik was just about to follow Bakura through doorway.

"Malik-kun! WATCH OUT!" Yugi cried, leaping forward, grabbing Malik's arm pulling him back. Malik came to a stop just as the electric doors closed, inches away from his nose, cutting off Malik and the Yugi's path.

"Shit!" Malik shrieked, falling backwards and stumbling to his feet. "That thing could have cut me in half! What the hell is a door like that doing here anyway?"

"Probably emergency doors to stop escaped patients like us," Yugi guessed.

"But Bakura's still on the other side!" Malik exclaimed. "What the hell are we supposed to do now?"

At that moment dark Bakura's face suddenly appeared in the tiny window of the electric door that had just closed on Malik's face. He mouthed the words, "go around" before turning around and running off down the hall.

"It can't be helped. Come on, there must be other ways to reach the exit besides this hallway," Yugi said helpfully. Malik cursed loudly, glaring hatefully at the electric door that stood between him and his goal.

"Whatever," he spat frustrated and followed the Yugis down a smaller hallway.

* * *

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* * *

Yeah... lots of confusing stuff happening. 

Basically our party is now split up with Yami no Malik, Ryou and Yami no Bakura on one side of the door and Yugi, Yami no Yugi and Malik on the other, though technically Yami no Yugi and Ryou are both more or less unconscious. Sounds fun, don't it?

NEXT CHAPTER! Part 2 of escaping from evil hospital! But what about Ishizu? Where did she run off to? And how the hell are they are they going to get out with guards and doctors guarding the exit? Its Jounouchi and Kaiba to the rescue!

Did you know? Reviewing is good for the soul.

So… REVIEW!


	11. People Running ABout

Woooo. I might actually be on time this week. Wow.

I got a great response from last chapter, it made me very happy, yay! Over 200 reviews and its only chapter 10! That's more than I got on my other story, I think. YAY! THANK YOU WONDEROUS REVIEWERS! (hands out cookies and chocolate)

Yes, Ishizu is insane, very insane, but can you blame her? (thinks of poor little Malik) Well… yes, yes you can.

Just for clarification, Kaiba calls Jounouchi something like bonkotsu in the anime constantly. It means something like incompetent idiot or retard or fool or something. Since I'm not 100 percent sure what it means or even how it's spelled I just left it out. So if you're wondering why Kaiba's calling Jounouchi "idiot" all the time, that's why.

There is actually a card called, People Running About. It was probably something like Chaos in Japanese but those evil sensor people struck again! CURSE YOU!

Well, here you are, Part II of ESCAPING EVIL HOSPITAL PLACE!

ENJOY OR DIE!

This chapter is brought to you by: The Wonders of Ceiling Plaster! Woot.

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**Chyaputa 11: People Running About**

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Ishtar was frantically making her way down the hallway, trying to widen the distance between her and her dark pursuer. Her sweaty trembling hands desperately ran across the white walls as she looked for somewhere to hide. Her flittering panicked eyes found a nearby conference room and she forced her weak legs inside. The key was constantly slipping out of her moist oversized hands as she tried to hastily lock the door behind her. Finally the locked clicked and her weak knees collapsed underneath her, she wrapped her arms around herself waiting for overwhelming fear to stop rushing into her like a flood. A shuttering hot sickening breath escaped her parched dry lips. 

Then, over the pounding of her heart, she heard footsteps. She froze, her breathing and heart stopped as the vibrations of feet hitting the cold tile floor outside hit her ear drums. They came closer and then stopped right outside her door, Ishtar's muscles cramped in the tension. A stretch of silence, Ishtar chanced to look up at the doorknob. It shook like someone was trying to open it.

There was crash of breaking glass as the tiny window set in the middle of the door broke. Ishtar frantically scrambled away from the door to the other side of the room, heart pressing up against her bleeding ears. A pale arm reached through the smashed window and slithered down toward the doorknob, spider-like fingers unlocking it in one smooth easy twist. Ishtar was too scared to move.

Her mind flashed, more violently this time than ever before. She could smell the blood already spilling out of her. The doctor clutched her throat; she could feel the red liquid slipping in between her fingers.

'What does this vision mean!' she thought desperately. 'Am I going to die? Am I _supposed_ to die?' Ishtar stared at her crippled sweaty hands. They were clean, not a speck of blood on them, but in her mind she could see blood spilling out of her throat, staining her hands red. The door swung open and pale figure walked in.

"Ishtar-sensei," he spoke, dark almost black eyes staring down at her crouched weakened form.

"B-Bakura…" she breathed, jaw trembling. He grinned nastily, white teeth gleaming in the dim room.

"So, you have seen this coming," Yami no Bakura said, voice practically purring in delight as he came closer. "Yet you do not run?" Ishtar flattened herself against the wall behind her, the fumes of the imaginary blood making her dizzy. Dark Bakura's eyes widened, an insane excited light glowing in them. "Are you too scared to move?" he taunted, gracefully swooping down and picking up a large shard of glass from the smashed window. He flipped it playfully in his nimble fingers, transfixed by the reflected light it threw onto the walls around him.

'I'm going to die!' she screamed silently. 'I'm really going to die!'

"Why…? W-who are you?" she stumbled, paralyzing fear ensnaring her movement. The dark personality's gaze snapped down to her pathetic frail form.

"I am the one who will one day own this world," he answered turning toward her, eyes flashing in anticipation. She gasped and her heart froze.

"Own the world…?" she gaped. His eyes narrowed in a deadly glare.

"It would be useless to explain things to you any further," he answered deathly casual, stepping closer and fingering the sharp piece of broken glass in his hand. "Soon you'll just be another part of my soul collection…"

Ishtar opened her mouth to scream but the glass had already been driven through her throat before she could speak. Hot red blood bubbled up her throat and out of her mouth and flowed out from the wound in her neck, staining her white hospital shirt dark crimson. Dizziness and pain drove blackness into her mind, eating away at her consciousness.

'Malik… I'm sorry…' The thought flickered and died as her spirit finally slipped away.

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As the two Yugis and Malik ran down the hall in full sprint, Yugi suddenly caught sight of a door he recognized. He slid to a halt. Malik, who was running behind him, crashed into him.

"What the hell, Yugi?" Malik cried.

"I need to get something," Yugi explained, hastily passing his darker side's transparent form into Malik's arms and doubling back.

"What?" Malik exclaimed following him uncertainly. "Yugi, we have to get out of here before any guards come!"

"This is important," Yugi said and rushed into what looked like a doctor's office, papers and files cluttered on every surface. Malik followed him and then caught sight of the nameplate on the door.

"Ishizu Ishtar," he read out loud. "Why the hell are we in here?" he asked even more nastily. Yugi rushed over to a filing cabinet and pulled a drawer open.

"I need to find something," Yugi said opening another drawer. "Ah, this looks like patient files," he muttered to himself.

"Yugi!" Malik protested angrily. "We have to get out of here NOW! What if we miss Bakura because of you…"

"Kasuke…Kawabe… Kaikuyo… Here!" he cried triumphantly pulling a yellow file out of the drawer. "Kaiba!" he exclaimed.

"Yugi, what-" Malik started but Yugi had already taken his darker personality back from Malik and dashed passed him to the hall.

"Come on!" Yugi cried as he continued down the hall, yellow folder and Yami no Yugi secure in his arms. Malik grumbled something under his breath and followed after the shorter patient.

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This had _not_ been a good idea, Jounouchi decided too late as he wobbled his way painfully down the hallway to the lunch hall. Even with crutches, it was hard enough getting from his room to the game room, now he had to travel over twice that distance to get to the Red wing's entrance.

'And how are you going to get in _after_ to reach the entrance?' a tiny voice taunted in his brain. Jounouchi grimaced. He hadn't thought that far yet.

"First thing first," he muttered panting, his under arms aching with the extreme use of the crutches. There was another boom and Jounouchi's bulky cast hit one of his crutches' legs. Paralyzed by pain, Jounouchi lost his balance, the floor was coming up to meet him in a flash. Jounouchi winced and closed his eyes but the impact never came. An arm caught him around the middle, holding him up. Jounouchi looked around and saw Kaiba pulling him back up to his feet.

"You're doing something stupid again, idiot," Kaiba spat, pulling the blonde up into a standing position. Jounouchi barely had any strength to argue.

"I'm not going back," he said stubbornly. Kaiba scoffed, cold eyes flashing.

"Then how are planning on getting tothe Red Wing's entrance," Kaiba snapped.

"If you won't help me, then I'll have to crawl," Jounouchi answered persistently. Kaiba snorted, head bowed, brown hair falling in front of his blue eyes.

"You really do have a one track mind," he said tiredly. Jounouchi grinned.

"So, are we going to save Yugi or not?" he cried, a new determined fire burning in his eyes. Kaiba frowned.

"If you die, don't blame me, idiot," he answered helping Jounouchi slowly down the hall. Jounouchi snarled.

"Stop calling me that, you bastard!" Jounouchi growled relying almost completely on Kaiba to get him down the corridor, his discarded crutches lying abandoned on the floor behind them.

(-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-)

Yugi and Malik sprinted around another corner and found themselves in the main hallway again, the exit to the Red Wing stood waiting for them at the end of it. Yami no Malik was there, flinging wave after wave of power at the steel doors, but the doors only dented at the impacts and refused to open.

"Looks like we're not through yet…" Yugi observed. Malik didn't answer. Yugi turned cautiously towards Malik only to see his hate filled gaze glaring at his darker self across the room.

'I guess, Malik really hates the other Malik,' Yugi thought solemnly. The dark Malik finally turned around noticing they were there.

/About time you showed up, useless personality/ he taunted, pale eyes glowing insanely. He walked towards Malik and Yugi arms out stretched, like a zombie searching for human flesh, eyes rolling sickeningly. /I'm almost out of spiritual power, I'll need to take some of your remaining energy to break down this door/ he explained sadistically. Malik took a frightened step back. His other self grinned, a dark chuckle escaping his lips, one side of his face stretching, slurring his twisted speech.

/Come now, don't be shy, my weak personality. You want to get out, don't you/ he snickered playfully, his red tongue licking his lips in hunger, claw-like fingers reaching for Malik's face. Malik cringed, too frightened to move. Yugi had never seen Malik so consumed by panic and fear. Yugi stepped in between them, although not very effectively seeing as both Maliks could easily see over his head.

"We have to wait for Bakura before we try anything," Yugi stated stubbornly. The dark side of Malik looked down at the shorter patient and scoffed.

/What makes you so sure he's even coming/ he asked cunningly. /He could of left us here to die…/

"Bakura-kun wouldn't do that!" Yugi answered firmly. Dark Malik snorted.

/Oh please. He's the only soul controlling that body now, why would he come back for us/ he questioned mildly. /What is stopping him from abandoning his host personality in the nearest hallway and escaping from this hellhole by himself? I know that's what I would do. I'm sure it would be a lot easier without the extra baggage./ Yugi hesitated searching for a reason.

'He couldn't have left. He wouldn't leave us here… would he?' Yugi thought. Yami no Malik grinned seeing the fear and uncertainly filling his purple eyes.

/That bastard wouldn't even blink if we get killed cause of him/ he snarled.

"Like that goes any differently for you," a low voice spoke behind them.

"Bakura!" Malik exclaimed, extremely relieved. Yami no Bakura approached, sure enough with Bakura Ryou still fast asleep in his arms. His eyes narrowed at the other dark personality, Yami no Malik glared right back at him.

/Where have you been/ he questioned rudely. The darker Bakura grinned and held up a slim card key.

"I was finding us a way out of here," he answered casually back. "That door is made out of plated steel. In your weakened power levels and even with Malik's extra energy you wouldn't be able to break it," he explained sharply. "Ishtar-sensei obviously didn't want us getting out."

"Bitch," Malik cursed in an undertone. Yami no Bakura looked curiously up at Malik and frowned.

"You sure you want to be criticizing the person, who freed you from your darker side," he said loftily. Malik's face darkened and looked away. Yami no Malik grunted, eyes half lidded in annoyance.

"Are you ok?" Yugi asked, taking a step closer to Bakura. "We were worried when you didn't come back." Yami Bakura's eyes left Malik and snapped onto Yugi. He stared at other curiously, much like he had done when Yugi had offered that puzzle to him in his cell not too many days ago. Yugi stared wondering what he was thinking but Yami no Bakura lifted his eyes before Yugi could read anything else.

"We've wasted too much time," the dark spirit stated walking over to the door. He swiped a card key, that he had gotten from good knows where, through the card reader and then pulled a dark shriveled object out of his pocket. Yugi's stomach rolled as he recognized it as a severed human thumb. Malik looked revolted as well but Yami no Malik only smirked in mild amusement. The dark Bakura pressed the digit to the fingerprint reading pad, unmoved.

Metal locks groaned inside the door, scraping against the bent walls. There was a screech that made Yugi and Malik flinch as the doors split painfully open.

(-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-)

Jounouchi and Kaiba had finally reached the entrance to the Red wing when the doors across the room cracked open with a scratching metal squeak. There was a second of silence before the doors exploded off their hinges. Jounouchi and Kaiba had to fall painfully to the side to avoid them and landed in a crippled heap on the floor behind an over turned table.

"Shit! What the hell!" Jounouchi cursed angrily having fallen on his injured leg.

"Be quiet!" Kaiba hissed seriously. Sounds of people emerging from the Red Wing's entrance floated toward their ears. Jounouchi lay still, Kaiba's arm pinning him to the cold tile floor.

"Over did it a little?" a male teenager's voice accused rudely.

/I don't see you doing anything to help/ a low sinister voice answered, it was echoing strangely like the guy was talking through some sort of filter.

"Shut up both of you!" a third voice ordered sharply.

"Bakura-kun's right, we won't get out of here any faster unless you two stop arguing," a very familiar lighter voiced said. Jounouchi's head jerked up.

"Yugi!" he cried, shoving Kaiba off and standing up awkwardly behind the table. Before he could even stand up straight, a dark skinned figure appeared at his elbow. Jounouchi turned just as the figure's clawed fingers closed around his throat.

/Well, well, well…/ the figure mused casually, pale dead eyes widening playfully. /What do we have here/ Jounouchi's eyes filled with panic, The body of the guy, who was currently straggling him, was completely see-through. He choked, trying to get air into his lungs.

"Stop!" Yugi shrieked running forward. "He's my friend! Let him go!" he pleaded. The dark skinned ghost teen with the insane eyes glanced down at Yugi mildly.

/Why should I/ he cooed, eyes very wide, obviously enjoying himself.

"We don't have time for this!" an equally sinester looking white haired teen snarled angrily from a few feet away. "Let him go before I make you, Malik!" The ghost teen rolled his eyes then grudgingly let Jounouchi's neck go. Jounouchi gasped for air, arm thrown out on a nearby table for support.

"Shit!" Jounouchi exclaimed rubbing his throat. "What the hell are you trying to pull, you freak! Can't you see I'm crippled!" he screamed pointing to his left leg.

"Calm down, Jounouchi!" Yugi hissed urgently, afraid that if he complained anymore Yami no Malik would actually kill him. "What are you doing here?" Yugi asked curiously. Jounouchi turned to his friend, scratching the back of his head embarrassed.

"Well, we, ah… I heard there was an explosion or something…" he explained. Malik and Yami no Bakura's eyes flicked toward Yami no Malik who grinned modestly. "…so I came to…ah, see if you were alright," he finished. Yugi blinked.

"But the doors would have been locked…" Yugi mentioned obviously. Jounouchi sighed in defeat.

"I told you, one tract mind," Kaiba commented stonily, looking casually in another direction. Jounouchi growled at his roommate.

"Kaiba-kun, you came too?" Yugi asked awed.

"Only cause this idiot dragged me here," Kaiba explained coldly.

"I didn't _drag_ you anywhere!" Jounouchi snapped.

"Will you be finished soon, Yugi?" a cold voice asked from behind Jounouchi. Jounouchi turned to see the very annoyed looking white-haired, dark eyed teen that had saved him. "Cause we _do_ have to get out of here," Yami no Bakura added sharply.

"How are we going to get out?" Malik asked. Now that Jounouchi had a chance to look around, he noticed that all the people present, besides him and Kaiba, had transparent doubles, even Yugi, who's double was lying seemingly unconscious in his arms.

'I'll have to have Yugi explain this to me later,' he thought, mind buzzing with all this new information.

"Well, we can't very well go out the main entrance," Yugi contemplated. "If we go back into the city there's too big of a risk of getting caught." Jounouchi's ears perked, an idea popping into his mind.

"You could go out the back entrance," Jounouchi offered speaking up. Five pairs of eyes turned on him. Jounouchi hesitated at suddenly being the center of attention. "There's a door at the other end of the hospital that the delivery people use. I think it comes out right near the edge of the forest," he explained turning toward Yugi.

"Really?" Yugi exclaimed, eyes practically glowing. "That would be prefect!" Jounouchi grinned at Yugi's happiness.

"Well, when you've been here for a while you start to know the place pretty well," he explained modestly.

"Have you been here for five years?" the solid, slightly less sadistic looking Malik snarled rudely. Yami no Bakura stepped in between Jounouchi and his opponent, sharp dark eyes flashing.

"Which way?" he ordered fiercely, cutting Malik off from the conversation. Jounouchi looked startled but turned to face the left hallway anyway.

"It's this way," he said. All eyes turned toward the door and both dark skinned people and the white hair teen moved toward the door. Jounouchi was about to go after them but then remembered he still had the bulky cast around his foot. The constant aching pain returned and Jounouchi groaned. Yugi turned to face him.

"Are you alright?" he asked worriedly glancing down at his injured limb.

"Yeah, well… no, actually not. I can't really walk, you see…" he admitted. Yugi looked like he was about to help but then remembered that he was already carrying his transparent double's soul. Kaiba sighed and walked sluggishly to his roommate's side.

"Come on," he said reluctantly not looking at Jounouchi, offering his side as his roommate's support. Jounouchi hesitated then put an arm around Kaiba's shoulders.

"This doesn't mean I owe you or anything," the blonde added stubbornly.

"Of course not," Kaiba answered coldly, still not looking Jounouchi directly in the eye. Yugi stared curiously between the two of them, eyebrows raised.

'Kaiba _helping_ Jounouchi?' he wondered in bewilderment. 'How long have I been gone?' Jounouchi caught his friend's awkward stare.

"What?" he asked slightly rude. Yugi shook his head.

"Ah… nothing," Yugi insisted. "Come on lets catch up with the others, we don't want to be left behind." Jounouchi nodded and they both followed the rest of group out the door toward the exit.

(-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-)

By the time Yugi, Jounouchi, and Kaiba caught up to the others, Yami no Malik was already far ahead, "clearing the path again" as Yami no Bakura put it. Hot sweat was pouring down Yugi's face, his sides ached and his legs and feet were painfully cramped. The experiment that Ishtar had tried to use on them must have had a great toil on the body, seeing as Malik and Yami no Bakura looked almost as bad as he did. His other personality's see-through form felt like a thousand tons now, even though Yugi was sure he probably wouldn't have any problems carrying him in his normal health.

'Just have to reach the exit,' he told himself over and over again, jogging painfully next to Jounouchi and Kaiba, who looked like they were having as hard of a time as he was. Jounouchi winced with each new step and every once in a while his cast would bang into Kaiba leg knocking them both unbalanced which was then followed by a series of curses and dark threats from both roommates. Yugi watched their interaction closely with a skeptical eye. They came to a cross section between halls.

"Where to?" the dark personality of Bakura snapped. Jounouchi nodded his head down the right path, too tired to speak, mouth gasping for air. They filed down it the corridor walking as quickly as Jounouchi could hobble.

"So, Yugi," Jounouchi muttered out of the corner of his mouth, as they trotted down the hall. "Why is there doubles of all of you? And why are some of you all ghost-like?"

"Well, to tell you the truth, I really don't know," Yugi said apolitically. "I asked my other self once and he said he couldn't remember anything of where he came from or what he was doing inside of me." He briefly went over his meeting with Malik and Bakura and the experiment with Ishtar. Jounouchi frowned at the mention of the doctor.

"I knew she was evil," Jounouchi muttered darkly.

"She was only try to help her brother," Yugi insisted weakly, but to be truthful, he had lost a lot of faith in the doctor since the previous day.

'But in some ways,' he thought sadly. 'I sort of understand…'

"By the way, Jounouchi," Yugi murmured trying to keep his voice low so that only he and Jounouchi could hear. "What's with you and Kaiba? I thought you hated him. Are you like… friends or something?"

"What! NO!" Jounouchi hissed appalled. Yugi blinked.

"But you're both… I don't know, _tolerating_ each other," Yugi prodded curiously. Jounouchi's mouth dropped open.

"_Tolerating?_" Jounouchi exclaimed. "He's a damned bastard! I can't stand him!" Yugi shrugged as best he could under the weight of Bakura's ghostly body.

"He's carrying you, isn't he?" Yugi whispered very quietly. Jounouchi paused, mouth opening then closing again, searching for a retort.

"Could you not lean over so much, idiot?" Kaiba said coldly. "You're going to make us fall over." Jounouchi turned to snap at Kaiba but found he couldn't find anything to say. Kaiba stared at his speechless roommate, suspiciously. Jounouchi finally turned away and tried to walk a little straighter, after all if Kaiba fell he would too. He glared down at Yugi who was smiling at his confusion.

"Whatever," he muttered, very Kaiba-like. The group stopped again but this time they didn't need Jounouchi's help in order to figure out which direction to go. At the end of the path straight-ahead was the door Jounouchi had told them about, Yami no Malik at the end of it laughing hysterically.

"Finally!" Malik groaned, leaning against the wall beside him, wheezing.

"Don't relax just yet," Yami no Bakura said warily. Out of a side corridor came a troop of guards, there were five of them; all had electric cattle prods and tranquilizer guns at their sides.

"Shit!" Jounouchi exclaimed. "How the hell are you going to get passed them?" Yami no Bakura grinned, fingers twitching with anticipation.

"Malik and I can handle it, you all wait back here," he ordered as he carefully placed Bakura Ryou's ghost-body on the floor and then immediately rushed forward. From the other side of the room came an ear splitting boom and the group of guards scattered like leaves in the wind, weapons flying everywhere. Jounouchi and even Kaiba, despite his normal indifference to every situation, gaped wide eyed as waves of rippling power that radiated off form Yami no Malik's body, destroying the remainder the hall.

"W-what the…" was all Jounouchi managed to get out. Yugi's Jell-O-filled knees collapsed underneath him; even to him, who had seen dark Malik's strength before, the power was amazing.

'Does my other self have this power too?' he thought. The normal Malik beside him barely managed to stay standing up. He had on much the same expression as Jounouchi had only his eyes were filled with fear, watching the awesome movements of his darker self. Yami no Bakura stepped in a second later, twisted some guard's arm behind his back before the man could reach his gun. Another violent jerk and the guard fell to the floor writhing in pain from his broken arm. Yugi, watching this from the other side of the room, felt sick.

All the sudden, there was a yelp from Jounouchi, pointing horrified behind them. Another group of guards was approaching them from down the hall where they had just come. Kaiba stood up, an angry glint in his eyes, but Yami no Malik got there first. Another earsplitting bang and the ceiling above them and the group of approaching guards exploded. Yugi pulled his other personality's disembodied soul closer to himself, arms wrapping around his form, waiting for the impact. Dust, tiny chucks of plaster and pieces of ceiling tiles fell passed his head but no large crushing pieces of wall or the upper story. Yugi cautiously glanced upward to find most of the ceiling around him, Malik, Jounouchi and Kaiba, suspended in middle air.

/Is everyone alright/ a strained voice asked. Yugi looked down into his arms and saw his other self's crimson eyes wide open, his palms stretched upward toward the fallen ceiling. A dark red shimmering shield glowed over them, holding back the ceiling.

"Mou hitori no boku!" Yugi cried relieved.

"…Yugi?" Jounouchi muttered, face filled with astonishment. At his side, Kaiba stared at the transparent Yugi as well, mind flashing back to days long ago.

'H-he's the one I who beat me,' Kaiba realized, blue eyes widening.

/Get everyone close to me, I'll hold it as long as I can/ Yami no Yugi called. Yugi nodded and then frantically beckoned Jounouchi, Kaiba and Malik over. They crawled underneath the center of the shield and joined him at the wall. Malik was crouched down with his arms over his head; afraid the shaky ceiling would collapse at any second.

Then Yugi spotted Bakura Ryou's host soul lying against the wall on the opposite side of the hallway. Yugi slipped out away from the others and managed to grab Bakura's foot, dragging his transparent soul across the hallway with the others. Yugi pulled himself and Bakura over to his darker half's side, hand closing on his darker personality's shoulder. Yugi sighed.

'I can still feel him,' he thought relieved. His other self turned to Yugi and grinned weakly. There was a groan of plaster and Yami no Yugi suddenly flinched facing the wall of ceiling and building parts again. He was holding the very foundations of the building and the upper story of the hospital from crashing down upon their heads now. Yugi looked up and saw that the shield that he had created was crumbling. The other Yugi turned his full attention on the bigger heavier pieces and sections of wall, letting the smaller ones break free of his control and fall. Another shower of plaster and ceiling tiles crashed down upon their heads. There was a thud and a sharp intake of breath beside Jounouchi and as the dust cleared, he could see a heavy chunk of tile had fallen from the ceiling and knocked Kaiba out cold.

"Kaiba! You damned bastard, wake up!" Jounouchi cried shaking him roughly but Kaiba didn't move.

/I can't hold it much longer/ the other Yugi cried stiffly, arms wobbling from the strain.

There was a distant bang from the outside of the shield and the large pieces of ceiling and heavy support beams hovering above them were thrown aside. Yami no Yugi flinched and his shield shattered and disappeared. Yami no Bakura was standing there, mouth open panting heavily, white hair in total disarray. In one hand he gripped Yami no Malik's arm, who had collapsed on the floor beside his feet, his ghostly body finally exhausted. Yami no Bakura's sharp eyes immediately searched out his lighter half as the dust from the plaster finally settled. He found him, lying asleep on the floor, one of Yugi's arms wrapped around his shoulders. Malik slowly lifted his eyes from his knees and peered around cautiously. Jounouchi carefully examined Kaiba's wound. It didn't look that bad, there was hardly even any blood.

'Must be just a bruise," Jounouchi thought hopefully, although he had no medical experience what so ever. Jounouchi pressed his ear up to Kaiba's chest and heard a strong steady heart beat echoing through his skin. Jounouchi sighed with relief.

"Well, that was exciting," the blonde muttered shakily, leaning back against the wall.

"Is everyone alright?" Yugi asked sitting up. He turned to his double and found him already fast asleep again. Yugi grinned tiredly.

"Lets get going," Yami no Bakura ordered, turning around to face the door, dragging Yami no Malik on the ground after him. Yugi and Malik nodded and both slowly lifted themselves to their feet. Yugi pulled his darker half onto his back again then turned down to the lighter half of Bakura, still lying unconscious on the floor.

"I'll get him, Yugi," Malik offered, wincing slightly as he walked over. Yugi nodded then turned to Jounouchi and the unconscious Kaiba, sitting with their backs against the wall.

"Jounouchi…" Yugi started but Jounouchi stopped him with a shake of his head.

"Don't worry about us, Yugi," Jounouchi said cheerfully. "You better get into the forest before more guards come." Yugi hesitated. "We'll be fine. Kaiba looks bad but he's breathing so I'm assuming he's alright," Jounouchi reassured. Yugi smiled and looked down at Kaiba.

"Oh! I almost forgot!" he exclaimed and looked around frantically at the floor. He must have spotted what he was looking for cause he flipped over a loose chunk of plaster and pulled out a slightly damaged yellow folder. "Here,' Yugi said tossing the folder toward Jounouchi. "Give this to Kaiba when he wakes up," Yugi said readjusting the position of Bakura's transparent body on his spine. "I think he'll like it. It proves what he was saying is true, about Ishtar-sensei being paid to keep him here," Yugi explained hastily as he moved toward the door to follow Malik and Yami no Bakura.

"What? Really?" Jounouchi asked astonished, taking the folder in his hands and looking inside it. Yugi trotted to the doorway then hesitated again and turned around.

"You sure you'll be okay?" Yugi asked concerned.

"Yes! Now go!" Jounouchi ordered sternly. "Don't worry, we'll see each other again!" Yugi grinned, blinking tears out of his eyes.

"Right! See you later!" Yugi called as he sped out of the doorway, waving.

* * *

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

* * *

Wow. That was exhausting and confusing. 

Ishizu's dead. Jounouchi and Kaiba got left behind. Sadness.

This chapter has been so difficult. I've rewritten it so many times trying to make it clear and junk but I might have failed. There were a lot of last minute changes that I still had to straighten out, like who was carrying who and such.

Next Chapter! So they're out of the hospital, what the hell are they going to do now? Lots of talking. Ryou wakes up and is so very confused for so many reasons.


	12. A Feint Plan

AAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRGGGG! Fanfiction's format strikes again! It won't let me put a "!" or a "?" next to a "/". This stucks. Now none of the transparent people can shout or ask a question. ARG! This really _really_ sucks. Just pretend they're there, ok?

Why was everyone happy Ishizu died? She's not Anzu, you know. Wow, glad I got rid of her quickly.

I must present my apologies. I was in a rush to update the last time and I was making all these changes at the last minute and my internet was down so some of the positions of people and whowas carrying who was kind of not consistent as manyreviewers have already been kind enough to point out to me. (shame) But thanks for pointing it out, I'll be sure to get it next time.

A reviewer suggested that I write down all the Yami's and Hikari's powers so here I go. (See! Reviews _can_ make a difference!)

Yami no Malik: You know in the Noa arc where he's blowing up all the robots and equipment and everything, his powers are kinda like that.

Malik: manipulates memories and mind control (in this story I sorta separate Malik and Yami no Malik's powers, so Yami no Malik can't mind control people. In the anime both of them can but I like it better this way)

Yami no Bakura: Reading souls by using cards, duh. In the show, the parasite mind thing, where he puts a piece of his soul into a piece of the puzzle. Yeah that. And he can manipulate souls somewhat but not a lot.

Bakura Ryou: Um… is cute and clueless?

Yami no Yugi: Yami no Games, judgement stuff. All the yamis can influence their darkness powers a little bit that's why Yami no Yugi can make a shield and Yami no Bakura can theoretically throw people back against walls, he does that to Yami no Malik in the anime. Neither of them can do it as well or as powerful as Yami no Malik though.

Yugi: the power of common sense

Both Yugi and Bakura could theoretically use powers if they really wanted too but

they're both too nice to want to hurt people.

Basically, this chapter has talking, planning and more talking. It's important to the plot although it doesn't a lot of action, it's mostlycharacter development stuff. It's kinda long too.

Oh yeah and just to be clear:

People talking /like this/ are transparent.

People talking "like this" are solid and currently in control of the body.

People talking _like this_ are using their mind link to secretly talk to their other half.

People talking 'like this' are just thinking to themselves.

This chapter brought to you by: The return of awesometastic BLACK TRENCH COAT! WOOT!

* * *

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

**Chyaputa 12: A Feint Plan**

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

* * *

There was an itch on the back of Bakura Ryou's neck. He scratched it and tried to turn over in his bed but found a rough bumpy texture underneath his skull. A few minutes later the itching was back, this time on his ankle. He tried to scratch that too, his fingers met the cool slightly damp leafy carpet underneath him. 

Curious, Ryou opened his wide brown eyes but the light was dim and he could hardly see anything. He blinked and squinted through the semi darkness. There was green foliage all around him, he looked up and saw a glowing dark purple and red sky and one or two bright stars between the tightly knit hanging leaves.

'Where am I?' he thought, still looking up at the dusk sky above him. 'I am dreaming?'

"Bakura-kun, you're awake!" a familiar voice called. Bakura Ryou looked around to see Yugi sitting only a few feet away. He looked worn out; sweat gleamed on his skin as though he had been running for a long time and his red and black hair messier than usual. Ryou blinked again.

/Yugi-kun/ he said but to his surprise his voice came out muffled and echo-like. /What-/ It happened again. /Why do I sound like this/ he asked slightly panicked. He stared down at himself and noticed with horror that his body was semi-transparent and glowing, shedding eerie pale blue light around the clearing. He held up his pale hands in front of his eyes. /I can see through myself/ he exclaimed frantically, panicking. /What's going on/ Yugi crawled over to him.

"Its okay, Bakura-kun," Yugi reassured his friend, kindly. "Look," he held up a hand for Bakura to touch. Ryou hesitated then pressed his fingers into Yugi's palm. He could feel Yugi's solid hand underneath his transparent fingertips. "See, you're fine," Yugi insisted grinning calmly.

/But why? Why… how am I like this/ Ryou asked urgently. /And where are we/

"Oh, its kinda complicated," Yugi explained awkwardly not sure where to begin. "We're in the woods right outside the city."

/Why are we in the woods? What happened to the hospital/ Bakura asked curiously, bombarding Yugi with questions.

"We sort of broke out of the hospital," Yugi answered, recalling the image of severely marred hallways and caved in ceilings. Bakura's eyes widened in awed bewilderment.

/How'd you break out of the hospital/ he asked looking at Yugi with admiration.

"Oh, I didn't really break us out. Yami no Malik and mou hitori no Bakura did most of the work." Bakura suddenly frowned in puzzlement.

/Mou hitori no boku/ Bakura questioned very confused.

"You know, your other self," Yugi tried again. Bakura blinked his large brown eyes, thinking.

/Who/ he asked, confounded. Yugi stared shocked at the clueless Bakura.

"You," he choked. "Don't know about the other you?" he asked cautiously.

/Another me/ the white haired soul pondered, tapping the side of head as though trying to remember. /Sorry, Yugi-kun, but I have no idea what you're talking about./ Yugi's mouth hung open in surprise.

'He's never met his other self!' he screamed silently. 'Even Malik knew about his darker side but Bakura…' He shook his head in frustration. 'I don't want to explain _this_ to him!'

/Is there something wrong, aibou/ the deep voice of Yami no Yugi asked, peering his transparent head out from behind the tree that Yugi and Bakura were talking under. Bakura squeaked and fell backwards at the newcomer's sudden appearance, wide eyes growing wider in confusion and fear.

/Who's he/ Bakura cried, a shaking arm pointing at the other Yugi.

"Its okay!" Yugi insisted, jumping forward. "He's my other self," he explained weakly. "Don't worry, you can trust him." Bakura blinked, looking in between the two Yugis.

/Another Yugi…/ he said tentatively, his trembling hand falling to his side. Yugi nodded eagerly. Bakura looked back at dark side of Yugi, eyeing him strangely. Yami no Yugi eyed him back.

/Um, I just wanted to know when Malik and Bakura were getting back/ he explained, turning to his lighter half.

/But I'm right here/ Bakura answered pointing to himself, confused.

"The other Bakura," Yugi corrected. Bakura scratched his head, thoroughly puzzled. "I don't know, they said they would be back before nightfall."

/Well, it's sundown, they better be back soon/ Yami no Yugi said seriously, sitting down by his aibou's side. Bakura, still staring at the other Yugi intently, cautiously poked his transparent knee with a timid ghostly finger. Dark Yugi turned to Bakura, scowling. /Are you satisfied/ he questioned, voice edgy. Bakura bent his head in shame, fluffy white hair falling in front of his face, arm retreating back to his side like a guilty child. Yugi frowned at his other self.

_You shouldn't be so mean to Bakura, he's never met his other personality before_, Yugi advised silently through their weakened mind link. Yami no Yugi breathed an annoyed sighed but none the less turned to Bakura to apologize.

/Sorry, I didn't mean to sound so harsh/ the darker half of Yugi said out loud to the white haired soul.

/Its okay, I was the one being rude/ Bakura added, bowing as well as he could manage in his sitting position.

Yami no Yugi's eyes narrowed. _Aibou,_ he asked silently. His lighter half looked up. _Did you say he's never seen the other Bakura before?_he asked seriously staring at the ground. Yugi nodded. _This could be a problem… _Yugi's eyes fell to the ground in unspoken agreement. Bakura stared at both of the silent spiky haired teenagers, eyebrows wrinkled in deeper confusion.

'What's going on?' he pondered silently watching them both curiously, ruffling his already tangled white hair.

At that moment there was a rustle of leaves and all three people turned toward the noise. A sweaty, very tired looking Malik walked out of the bushes, three white plastic bags thrown over his shoulder.

"Hello again!" he greeted cheerfully, grinning broadly and walking into the clearing, setting the bags down in the center. Yugi and the other Yugi noticed the dark skinned teen was wearing a very different outfit then he had been that morning. Instead of the white hospital uniform, Malik was now wearing a light purple sleeveless shirt and black cargo pants.

"Where have you been?" Yugi asked, looking at the bags in front of him. Malik flipped his medium length blonde hair over his shoulder tirelessly.

"Getting you people food," he answered flopping down inside the circle.

/And getting yourself a new wardrobe, I see/ the other Yugi muttered, frowning in annoyance.

"May I remind you that the police are still looking for us. If we had gone into the city wearing those hospital clothes we would have been caught for sure. It was essential to our secrecy to change clothes," Malik explained logically.

/Sure it was/ dark Yugi grumbled darkly, arms crossed firmly over his chest.

"Here Yugi, I got it just for you," Malik called tossing Yugi a small round squishy package. Yugi opened it eagerly, like a child on Christmas.

"A burger!" he practically screamed, mouth watering in delight. His other self smiled, shaking his head sadly as his aibou proceeded to try to eat the sandwich in one bite. Malik finally spotted Bakura across the circle.

"Oh, you're up," he said slightly surprised. "I didn't get you anything cause, well, you don't have a body. I think Bakura covered the whole hunger issue for you," Malik explained. Bakura was about to correct Malik by telling him that he was Bakura when another dark figure entered the clearing distracting him.

Yami no Bakura had not gotten rid of his hospital clothes but had covered them up with a large black leather overcoat, contrasting perfectly with his white hair and pale skin. Both Yugis looked up.

"Mafuwa-fum," Yugi greeted, mouth stuffed fill of burger. The other Yugi's eyes narrowed sharply. Yugi glanced over at the normal Bakura. He was staring speechlessly up at his darker half, brown eyes wide with something close to terror, hands clenched at the ground by his feet. Yugi managed to swallow the food painfully down his throat, wishing he could say something to make his friend feel better. Yami no Bakura had his full attention on gnawing at a thick juicy stake on a stick that he must have picked off some defenseless street vender and wasn't even looking in his lighter half's direction. Malik, completely oblivious to the tension around him, was humming off tune while setting up a large camping lamp in the middle of the circle.

"Wait," Yugi pondered out loud, breaking the tense silence. "How did you pay for all this stuff? Yami no Bakura's coat looks really expensive! You didn't steal it all, did you?" he questioned suspiciously. "We don't need any more attention drawn to ourselves, you know."

"Don't worry, we didn't steal it," Malik explained, casually folding his arms behind his head as he leaned back against a tree. "You could say they gave it to us…"

"What?" Yugi and his reflection questioned together. Malik grinned and held out of his hand. Before Yugi's very eyes a thousand yen bill materialized in Malik's palm. Yugi gasped while his dark side glared suspiciously at the object.

/An illusion/ he asked mildly.

"A damn good illusion!" Malik said smirking smugly. Yugi picked up the money in Malik's hand, running a curious thumb across its smooth surface. It felt like money, it looked like money, but… Malik snapped his fingers and the thousand yen bill disappeared as though it were never there. Yugi blinked.

"I can control people's minds, remember? So I just take the memory of money out of your mind and give it back to you," he explained, still very smugly. "And the store's records won't notice a thing."

"Wow," Yugi muttered. Malik grinned broadly.

The other Yugi scowled. /It's still stealing/ he said firmly. Malik shrugged.

"But a much less messy form of stealing," he corrected. "And no one has to get hurt or die this way." Yami no Bakura had finally managed to rip off a large corner of his beef stick and chewed graphically on it. The Bakura beside Yugi was dead quiet, hypnotized by his darker half appearance. Yugi could have sworn that he had stopped breathing.

'Just stop looking at him, Bakura-kun,' Yugi advised silently, trying to keep his own eyes on his half-eaten burger.

/By the way, where's Yami no Malik/ Yami no Yugi asked skeptically. /I haven't seen him sense you two left./ Malik's eyes narrowed and he looked forcefully away. Yami Bakura swallowed the last of his meat and grinned maliciously.

"Oh, he's somewhere," he answered slyly, tossing the stick into one of the food bags. "Probably too weak to move, after all that energy he wasted yesterday." Yugi noticed how Yami no Bakura's eyes carefully avoided contact with his host's while he was talking. The lighter half of Bakura didn't move. The empty hole in the bottom of Yugi's chest throbbed painfully.

'Has Bakura really never introduced himself to his host?' he thought pitifully. 'If the other me hadn't told me of his existence I'd still be alone now. Is that what's its like for Bakura?'

He looked up to find his darker side watching him closely, red eyes falling into his wide purple ones. The empty hole in Yugi's chest tightened and a different kind of throb echoed through his body. His other self gave him a questioning look. Yugi smiled softly showing him that there wasn't anything to worry about then forced himself to alleviated his growling stomach by finishing his burger and eating two rice cakes.

'I'm never going back to hospital food,' Yugi thought happily. His darker half grinned in amusement.

There was the sound of rustling leaves again, and everyone grew suddenly quiet as the intruder stumbled into their clearing.

Yami no Malik looked five times worse then Yugi had ever seen him. His blood shot eyes darted feverishly around the circle, his dark transparent skin looked unusually pale and sickly and his legs trembled ever so slightly as if they were too weak to support his weight. Bakura recoiled at the slight of yet another frightfulghostly clone. Yami no Bakura relaxed against a nearby tree, grinning maliciously.

"So, you can walk?" Yami no Bakura said smoothly, sharp eyes following the dark personality's movement. "Apparently you're more desperate then I imagined," he added coldly.

The dark side of Malik shot him a nastily glare. /You would be in the same situation if you hadn't hidden inside your host's body! Coward/ he spat, the veins on the side of his face pulsing in anger.

"If I remember correctly, I believe it was you who was hiding." Yami no Bakura's eyes flashed, he stepped forward but Yami no Yugi got there first.

/Enough/ he cried angrily. /Fighting will gets us nowhere/ The dark side of Malik snorted, blood veined eyes glaring weakly at his enemies.

/Standing around here isn't helping either/ he accused wickedly. /You think I didn't hear you guys talking! About how you waltzed around making yourselves at home in this god-forsaken forest! This isn't a damned vacation/ he screamed using a nearby tree for support, breathing heavily. The clearing became deathly silent. /In case you didn't notice, while some of you were enjoying a lovely day on the town, half of our group still don't have a body/ Yami no Bakura closed his eyes in a bored uninterested manner.

"Quit your annoying shouting, Malik. Your hurting my ears," Yami no Bakura said, cleaning wax from the inside of his ear with a casual twist of his pinky. "You're only repeating information that we already know…"

/Well, no one seems to be doing a DAMNED thing about it/ Yami no Malik snarled, fill force glare directed at Yami no Bakura now. Dark Bakura scoffed, eyes snapping open.

"Speak for yourself," he muttered and reached inside his new leather trench coat to pull out stacks of folded papers. He tossed them casually on the ground; Yugi picked one up and looked bewildered at the cover.

"Travel brochures?" Yugi asked, rising an eyebrow. His dark side leaned over his shoulder to look too.

/To northern Africa/ Yami no Yugi questioned skeptically. Yami no Bakura grinned.

"Specifically to Egypt," he answered smoothly. Malik, who, judging by look on his face, had obviously not heard about this plan before hand, exclaimed with glee. Yugi remembered Ishtar-sensei telling him she and Malik had grown up in Egypt.

/What does this have to do with getting my body back/ Yami no Malik questioned rudely voice low and threatening. Malik gripped at the brochures protectively, glaring hatefully at his darker half once again.

"The power we need to put our souls back together is in Egypt," Yami no Bakura answered slyly. Everyone's attention snapped back to white haired teenager, the clearing once again dead silent.

/How do you know that/ Yami no Malik accused, eyeingthe other darker halfwarily. Yami no Bakura sighed crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back against a tree, as though he were bracing himself for a very long explanation.

"It is rumored that there is a hidden temple in Egypt that devours souls. They say that the power of this temple comes from a great source of dark magic hidden within its depths and thatthis dark magicwill be given to the souls who are destined to inherit the power of darkness," he explained, eyes circling the clearing. Yami no Malik grinned at the words "power of darkness", an insane glint glowing in his pale eyes. Malik shifted uncomfortably on the ground.

"But what does that mean? How is this going to help us?" Yugi asked curiously. Dark Bakura smirked.

"This power is rumored to have several abilities including sealing and manipulating souls," dark Bakura answered. "If we had that power, we could seal our own severed souls back into our bodies." The clearing was quiet in thought. Night had fallen outside their little bubble of light made from the lantern Malik had "bought" that day.

/But how do _you_ know all of this, Bakura/ Yami no Yugi asked distrustfully. Yami no Bakura shrugged mildly as though he hadn't heard the threat in the other dark personality's voice.

"My host's father is an archeologist," he answered simply. "He collects information like this everyday, hoping to find another site for his _gold digging_." His eyes flashed dangerously at this last phrase. Yugi heard the light half of Bakura's sharp in take of breath beside him.

'Bakura's father?' Yugi wondered. Another sharp pain in Yugi's chest. The way Yami no Bakura was talking, it was as if Bakura wasn't even there. He saw a gloomy depressed look return to Bakura's eyes before the white haired teen turned his face to the ground.

/But this is ridiculous/ Yami no Yugi muttered skeptically. /You're talking about magic and dark powers as though they really exist./

"And what do you call it when Malik controls a person's mind and memories or when you crush your enemies souls in a judgment game," Yami no Bakura drawled smoothly. Yami no Yugi looked very taken aback. Yami no Bakura smirked. "Malik's sister understood the concept, however vaguely, and she used it to separate our respective halves."

"She didn't use magic," Yugi protested, trying to come to his darker half's aid. "She used machines." Yami no Bakura's eyes flashed now upon Yugi.

"She said herself she used the machines to manipulate that 'dark energy' that she claimed we all had," the dark half of Bakura insisted. "I believe it is fate that we go to this place in Egypt."

"There is no such thing as fate," Malik scoffed firmly, crossing his arms over his chest stubbornly. "No unseen force controls my actions."

"Really?" Yami no Bakura challenged. "So it's just a coincidence that three different people, who have never met before, all contain the exact same 'dark energy', were all classified by the same disorder and were all brought to the same hospital." Malik closed his mouth reluctantly.

"Well… Ishtar-sensei did say these symptoms had never been documented before," Yugi added. Malik flinched at the sound of his sibling's name. "Symptoms, as in our uh, unique abilities… that's what she said."

/You said this temple would give us the powers of darkness/ Yami no Malik interrupted. /What are these powers of darkness/ Yami no Bakura grin widened.

"I would guess it would be like increasing your powers ten fold," he answered smugly. "For example, instead of Malik only being able to hypnotize one person at a time, he could probably control a whole army." Yami no Malik's eyes widened with insane anticipation, hands twitching in excitement. His red tongue curled around his sharp teeth. Yami no Yugi eyed the other two dark personalities closely, eyes hardening.

_There's something about this story I just don't like…_ he muttered to his aibou through their silent mind link. _I don't think I want to see Malik's and Bakura's power increase._

_But if this temple can really do what Bakura says it can then it might be our only hope for getting you back into my body, _Yugi answered. _We might have no choice but to follow his plan. _Yami no Yugi frowned grudgingly, suspicious red eyes fixed on Yami no Bakura's relaxed form.

/But still these are just rumors/ Yami no Yugi pointed out. /We have no way of knowing if this temple does contain any powers of darkness or if this place even exists./

"Anyone else have other ideas?" Yami no Bakura offered coolly, gesturing around the circle. No one spoke up.

"I like Bakura's plan," Malik voiced, raising his hand. Yami no Malik scoffed.

/You only like it cause you want to go home, weak personality/ he chuckled coldly. Malik's angry bright violet eyes glared at Yami Malik, a deep snarl of contempt on his lips. /But this idea does intrigue me. I'll go along with it/ he finished grinning excitedly. Yami no Bakura turned his eyes to Yugi questioningly. Yugi sighed.

"I think Bakura has a point," Yugi said nervously. "The chances of all three of us having these unexplained powers and we all seem to have some connection to Egypt."

"You too?" Malik asked curiously. Yugi nodded.

"My grandfather spent a lot of time there when he was younger," Yugi admitted. "This doesn't seem like a coincidence. If everyone else believes this is a good idea, I will go too."

/Aibou/ his dark started turning to his lighter half in surprised.

"Think about it, mou hitori no boku, staying here won't help anybody. What other choice do we have?" Yugi answered. Yami no Bakura turned to Yami Yugi again, smirking.

"So, its left to you, mighty one," he mused quite contently, dark eyes dancing smugly, already certain of the eventual outcome. Yami no Yugi glanced down at his light one more time, took a deep breath and then turned reluctantly to Yami no Bakura.

/Fine, I'll agree to this plan of yours, Bakura/ he conceded grudgingly. Dark Bakura grinned and then pulled himself away from the tree.

"It's settled then," he said smugly.

"Wait," Yugi interrupted hastily. He turned to side to look at Bakura Ryou who had become extremely silent since his darker half had entered the clearing. "What about you, Bakura-kun? What do you think of this idea?" Bakura's head shot up in surprise as though he couldn't believe he was actually being addressed.

"Oh… um…" His large brown eyes glanced at his darker half then over to Yami no Malik. Yami no Bakura didn't even offer to met his unsteady glance. "Sure… fine," he gulped, eyes darting back to the ground meekly. "Sounds good."

"Then we should leave as soon as possible," Yami no Bakura continued sharply as though there had been no interruption. "No telling what the consequences will be if a soul stays out of its body too long."

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The planning for obtaining plane tickets to Egypt continued for some time. Night had fallen deeply in the forest by the time they finally decided to go to sleep, faint lights coming in from the city glared like orange stars between the thick layers of trees.

Yami no Bakura and Yami no Malik disappeared into the forest soon after they had finished discussing to find some dark secluded corner of the woods to sleep in. Yugi and Malik made makeshift beds out of leaves near the lantern, Bakura's brown eyes watching them glassily from underneath the tree.

"Where are you going?" Yugi asked his dark personality curiously as Yami no Yugi turned to face the dark forest.

/I'm just going to take a walk. Check out the surrounding area/ Yami no Yugi explained mildly vague.

"You want me to come with you?" Yugi asked.

/Ah… that's ok, I'm only be a minute/ Yami no Yugi reassured Yugi awkwardly. Yugi eyed his darker half skeptically.

_Don't go interrogating Yami no Bakura or Malik_, Yugi warned him sternly_. We don't need any more trouble than we already have._

/I wasn't even thinking about that/ Yami no Yugi lied unconvincingly and walked off into the woods as casually as he could. Yugi sighed but didn't stop him.

The original Bakura hadn't moved from his spot underneath the tree since he had woken up. His chin sat on top of his knees, blank brown eyes staring into the lantern in the middle of the clearing.

/So, that was the other me/ Bakura asked distantly, depression clouding in his eyes.

"He's strange, isn't he?" Malik said mildly. Yugi glared at Malik for being so insensitive. "He threatens to kill you every five minutes and has a very strange obsession with meat but he's so much cooler than mine," Malik continued, oblivious to the silent, urgent signals Yugi was throwing at him to stop. Bakura's head bowed even lower.

/I wouldn't know/ Bakura answered downheartedly. Malik looked at him astonished.

"You mean, you've never met him before?" he asked incredulously. Bakura's transparent form shrank in his shame.

"Malik!" Yugi hissed. "You're not helping!"

"Oh, sorry!" Malik apologized hastily. "I didn't mean to…"

/Its alright/ Bakura answered, although you could tell by his voice that it wasn't. He bowed his head again staring at he ground, his pale light blue light illuminating the dark clearing, the lantern's yellow light glowed dimly in comparison. /But now that I think of it, now that I know he exists, some things suddenly make sense. All those times I blacked out and how every time I got close to someone…/ Bakura gulped, his form stiffening and growing detached from the others. /He must have been the one… who murdered Kaa-san and Amane…/ Malik and Yugi exchanged nervous looks.

"My dark side killed my father, and a whole bunch of other people that I don't know about," Malik said seriously, moving underneath the tree to join the white haired soul. Bakura looked up, brown eyes wide with surprised.

/He did/ he asked slightly dazed. Malik nodded.

"Mine killed a bunch of guys at my school who were picking on me," Yugi admitted moving next to Bakura as well.

/But yours seemed so sane…/ Bakura insisted; now staring thunderstruck at Yugi.

"They are called dark sides for a reason," Malik reminded him logically. "Don't feel so special," Malik scolded, tapping him playfully on the shoulder. "We've all been going through the same thing." Bakura nodded sheepishly in understanding, his eyes softening a bit.

"I think in some way or another they're all trying to protect us," Yugi said helpfully. "I mean without us, they wouldn't have a body, right?" Malik frowned.

"I doubt mine has ever done anything for anyone, other than himself," Malik growled hatefully.

/How is killing my mom and sister protecting me/ Bakura asked weakly, looking at the ground again.

"Well…" Yugi hesitated scratching his head in thought. "They're minds do work in strange ways." Bakura paused staring thoughtfully at Yugi.

/I guess/ he muttered not very convinced by Yugi's words.

"At least yours cares about you, Bakura-kun," Malik mentioned.

Bakura looked quite shocked. /What do you mean/

Malik shrugged. "Well he carried you all through the hospital, didn't he? And when he wasn't he always tried to keep you in his sight. Every time we stopped he would make sure he knew where you were," Malik said, staring out into the woods. "I wish mine were like that…" he said solemnly, not speaking to anyone in particular. Bakura's pale skinny arms tightened around his knees, his gazed lifted to Malik's face.

/You really think that/ Ryou Bakura asked, voice strained maybe trying to keep himself from becoming too hopeful.

"Of course." Malik smiled and nodded encouragingly.

/Thanks/ Bakura said hesitantly. /…Um, by the way…/

"What is it?" Malik asked politely.

/Who are you/ Bakura questioned curiously. /I don't think I've ever met you before…/ Malik sighed and shook his head. Yugi grinned, trying to suppress his laughter.

(-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-)

'I'm not spying on them,' Yami no Yugi told himself as he circled around the campsite, red eyes searching the bushes. 'I just want to make sure I know where they are.' If one of those psychos came around when Yugi was asleep… well, Yami no Yugi just wanted to make sure it wouldn't come to that. Suddenly he heard another set of feet walking through the woods close by. He froze, listening carefully. A head of white hair popped out of the darkness between clumps of trees. Yami no Yugi pulled himself behind a group of thick bushes, trying to hide his glowing form from the newcomer.

Yami no Bakura suddenly stopped, his dark eyes lifting from the ground.

"You're not very good at hiding," he called. Dark Yugi's breath caught in his throat. But before he could answer, another low cackling voice sounded from the trees in front of Bakura

/I guess I can't fool you/ Yami no Malik taunted as he emerged, wild pale blonde hair floating around his head. /You must be an expert at sneaking around./

"Unless you have anything important to say, I suggest you get out of my way," Yami no Bakura growled, glaring fiercely at the other dark personality. "I'm not in the mood."

Yami no Malik chuckled. /Oi, oi, what a scary look/ he taunted coolly. Yami no Bakura's eyes narrowed further in annoyance. The dark skinned teenager's mouth stretched into a twisted grin. /You may be able to fool everyone else but I know there's something your not telling us./ He crossed his dark lanky arms over his chest, pale dead eyes gleaming. /I think I might know better than anyone what you're scheming…/

"Don't even try to compare yourself with me," Yami Bakura snarled coldly. Yami no Malik's grin widened and he took step forward, closing the space between himself and the white haired teen so that they were less than a foot away from each other.

/You're the only soul in your host's body now/ he said smoothly, taking another step forward. /If you left, you'd never have to deal withthat annoying light half any longer. Yet you stay. Someone as intelligent as yourself wouldn't stay without good reason, not unless there's something you can still get out of it./ Yami no Bakura's eye lid twitched. In the bushes nearby, Yami no Yugi watched the two intensely.

"Like I said, unless you have something important to say I'm leaving," Yami Bakura answered coldly, stepping to the side about to walk passed the other dark spirit. Yami no Malik stuck out a leg blocking his path.

/Or perhaps…/ he muttered in low deadly voice, leaning forward, whispering into the white haired teen's ear, fangs hovering barely an inch away from Yami Bakura's flesh. /You really do want to be bonded to that disgusting lighter self for eternity./ Yami no Bakura scoffed and moved away from Yami no Malik's lurking form.

"You must feel pretty desperate," Yami no Bakura threatened nastily, grinning madly as poisonous words dripped off his tongue. "In one day and you've managed to lose all your power and your host. In that weakened stated, your soul won't survive for more than two weeks without completely falling apart, less than that I guess with all that energy you used up yesterday. The only weapon you hold now is that whispering forked tongue." Yami no Malik's face suddenly twisted angrily, unconsciously talking a step back. Yami no Bakura grinned in cold triumph. "It's not wise to threaten the one who holds your fate." He turned away into the woods, his insane laughter echoing into the night. Yami no Malik cursed loudly and stormed off in another direction leaving the silent watcher alone in the underbrush.

Yami no Yugi frowned, contemplating the conversation he had just over heard. Caring for his light side didn't sound like something Yami no Bakura was capable of, there _had_ to be some other reason.

'But then why go to Egypt?' he thought seriously, moving cautiously out of the bushes and retracing his steps back to the camp. 'Either way, aibou is right…' he thought reluctantly. 'We have no other choice but to follow Bakura, at least for now.' He stared down at his clenched ghostly hands. 'If what Bakura said was true about my soul only lasting for two weeks, we have to do something soon.' He shivered at he thought of disappearing from the world forever. What would happen to his consciousness when he disappeared? What would happen to Yugi? His stomach squirmed sickly at the thought of leaving his aibou.

Quiet voices broke his depressing train of thought. He turned his head to see the faint light of a lantern between trees. Yugi and the other two lighter halves underneath the tree looked up as Yami no Yugi entered the clearing.

"Mou hitori no boku, what took you so long?" Yugi asked worriedly.

/Sorry, aibou…/ Yami no Yugi apologized distractedly, red eyes flickering to the dark woods surrounding the clearing. Yugi stared at him suspiciously, he knew something was bothering his darker half but he didn't ask him what it was. Yugi turned to the other two and yawned loudly.

"I'm going to sleep," he announced.

* * *

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

* * *

Ooooooo… the plot thickens. 

Anyone notice that really small scene I stole out of Spirited away? Chiriko going transparent and Haku going up to her and holding out his hand for her to touch, that thing. Yugi's so awesome. Yeah, forked tongue, stole that too, from Lord of the Rings actually though I'm sure its been in other places too.

This chapter had a lot of interaction between all different people that we didn't see before, like Ryou and Malik and Ryou with well… anyone since the only one he talked to before this was Yugi. I changed this chapter a lot, (yes I know I always say that but I'm so proud of my editing) it was a lot different before. Yami no Bakura is a mischievous little devil, ain't he?

I love that trench coat. Makes Yami no Bakura look all cool. (swoons)

NEXT CHAPTER! To get to Egypt one needs to buy tickets, supplies and perhaps more clothes? Yugi, Malik and Yami no Bakura spend a day on the town and we all know how that can turn out.

Do I really need to tell you again? Do I?

**REVIEW!**

And if you're reading this and you don't review, feel shame. Lots and lots of shame.

**REVIEW!**


	13. Tailor of the Fickle

OMFG! OMFG! HOLY FREAKING HELL GODS! THERE'S LIKE THOUSANDS OF THEM! LIKE OVER 256! GAH! (dances happy dance) That's more than I got for HINAFTYCC! YAY!

Just as an answer to Jazhira's comment. Yes, Yami is narrowed minded, haven't you ever noticed? He's very bad at trusting people who aren't his little aibou. (pats Yugi's head)

Yami: (growls and steals Yugi away possessively) Mine!

Awww, Yami's so cute when he's glaring death at me.

Japanese Terms: "Dorobo" means "thief" in Japanese. A girl at a convention oncetried to convinceme that that was Bakrua's real name. Phft, yeah right.

I've been staying up really late this week so I'm really tired. I have this fucking big project coming up and its going to kill me.

The chapter brought to you by: Travel Agencies. I have no idea how one buys a ticket, I really really don't, so just work with me here, please?

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>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 

**Chyaputa 13: Tailor of the Fickle**

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

* * *

"Hey Yugi!" Malik called in the shorter teen's ear. Yugi jumped out of his sleep, his bed of leaves and pine needles scattering everywhere. 

"W-what?" he cried, his body in a state of shock for being woken up so suddenly. Malik was standing above him, chuckling mischievously.

"We're going into town again, you want to come?" he asked. Yami no Bakura was standing ominously behind him, arms crossed over his chest, frowning at having to wait for yet another person. "We're going to buy clothes and stuff for the trip to Egypt." Yugi rubbed his eyes and yawned again.

"Can you give me like five minutes to wake up?" Yugi asked grumpily, brushing bits of grass and leaves out of his clothes and hair. Malik grinned triumphantly and nodded. Yami no Bakura's frown deepened and he began tapping his foot frustratingly.

After relieving his bladder behind a group densely packed bushes, Yugi forced himself to swallow some day old food down his dry throat. He paced up and down the clearing as he chewed, waking up his limbs. Yami no Yugi approached him cautiously.

/I'd come with you but we figured since Jounouchi-kun and Kaiba could see us at the hospital that normal people will be able to see us as well. Its probably best if we separated halves just stay out of sight./ Yugi nodded in understanding. /Be careful/ Yugi's dark personality added warily. /I don't trust _that_ Bakura/ he hissed eyeing Yami no Bakura across the clearing.

"Don't worry about me," Yugi reassured.

_Just make sure you take care of Bakura-kun from Yami no Malik, _Yugi said silently, looking pointedly at the light side of Bakura who was talking Malik underneath the tree they had slept under last night.

Yami no Yugi's face tightened uneasily. _What am I supposed to do with him? _he asked awkwardly, the uncertainly and nervousness in his voice echoing through their link.

_He's not going to attack you. Just talk to him, _Yugi encouraged. Yami no Yugi grimaced as though talking to anyone besides his aibou was unpleasant.

_About what?_ he asked again. Yugi rolled his eyes.

_At least try, will you! _Yugi answered forcefully and ran over to Malik.

"I'm ready," he said. The Egyptian grinned.

"Great! Well, we'll see you guys later," Malik called, grabbing Yugi's arm and making pulling him towards the city. Yugi sent his darker half one last wave before disappearing through the trees, leaving the ghostly forms of Yami no Yugi and Bakura behind.

Silence spread between Bakura and Yami no Yugi. Yami no Yugi shifted uncomfortably, eyeing the other cautiously.

/So… Nice weather…/ Yami no Yugi tried. Bakura looked up as though he just noticed the other soul was there.

/Oh, ah, yeah…/ he answered looking down at his transparent hands. Inescapable silence fell down upon them again. Yami no Yugi groaned inwardly, gazing off into the direction where his aibou had disappeared.

This was going to be a long day…

(-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-)

"Did you find it?" Malik asked Yugi impatiently. Yugi, crouched outside the telephone booth, looked up from the enormous phone book he was holding in his lap.

"I think this is it," he said, pointing out the number of a travel agency on the yellowed page. Malik picked up the phone inside the phone booth and dialed the number Yugi read to him. Yami no Bakura, leaning up against the plastic wall of the phone booth next to Malik, had stuffed his hands inside the pockets of his new black coat, a look of utter and complete boredom showing on his face.

"What's taking it so damn long," he complained harshly.

"Shh, it ringing," Malik hushed. The dark spirit rolled his eyes and snatched the phone out of Malik's hands. "Hey! Give that back!" Malik cried. Yami no Bakura shoved a hand in his face pushing the Egyptian away.

"Hello, this is Doma Airways, delivering you as safely as possible to your destination, how may I help you?" a female voice asked politely.

"We need to be in Egypt as soon as possible," Yami no Bakura said rudely.

"I dialed the number! I want to talk on the phone!" Malik whined trying desperately to get passed Bakura's out stretched hand.

"Ok, let me check our flights…" There was a long pause as the woman on the other line checked her computer. "We have a direct flight leaving for Cairo in a week from now…"

"We don't have that long, woman. Get us a flight tomorrow," Yami no Bakura threatened nastily.

"Um…" the travel agent hesitated, the rapid tapping of keys was heard through the phone. "There's a plane leaving tomorrow at 8 am but, its not direct flight. You'll have to transfer planes and it's more expensive…"

"We'll take three tickets," Yami no Bakura ordered harshly.

"Alright," more computer sounds, "I'll need your credit card number."

The dark soul scowled questioningly. "Credit card number?"

"Ask if we can pay in cash," Yugi suggested helpfully.

"Give it to me! I'm the one with the money, remember?" Malik cried and finally managed to grab the phone out of Yami Bakura's hands. "Can we reserve them and then pay you in cash at the airport?" he asked into the phone.

"In cash? I suppose… What name should I reserve them under?"

"Ishtar," Malik answered.

"Idiot! Don't use your real name!" Yami no Bakura hissed, grabbing the phone away from Malik and smacking him on top of the head with it. "We have the police on our trail!"

"Hello? Sir? What was that name again?" the travel agent asked uneasily.

"Dorobo," Yami no Bakura answered curtly.

"Yeah, and that's not suspicious at all," Malik drawled sarcastically as he hung up the phone exited the booth. Yami no Bakura, his almost black eyes drooping into a half-drowsy gaze, glared lazily as if he really didn't care. "So, who's up for breakfast?" Malik announced cheerfully.

"Aren't we supposed to be getting supplies for the trip?" dark Bakura questioned skeptically.

"Come on, lets at least have some fun while we're here," Malik said wrapping an arm around Yugi's shoulders. "You're with me, right Yugi?" Yugi shrugged.

"Why not? Its not like we're going anywhere until tomorrow," Yugi said. Yami no Bakura looked severely irritated but choose to brood in silence.

(-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-)

Two of the souls that had been left behind sat crouching underneath a tree, staring at each other in fierce concentration.

/Ro, sham, bo/ Yami no Yugi announced. He and Bakura displayed they're transparent ghostly hands. Yami's landed on scissors while Bakura's hand lay flat forming paper.

/I lose again/ Bakura said with a shrug. /7 out of 13/ he asked hopefully holding up his fist again. Yami no Yugi sighed and held his fist out as well.

/Ro, sham, bo/ he said lazily, leaning his head against the hand he wasn't using to play rock, paper, scissors with. He got rock this time and Bakura's hand displayed scissors.

/Wow, you're really good at this/ Bakura said, scratching his fluffy white hair.

'It isn't exactly hard,' Yami Yugi grumbled silently to himself.

/Want play again/ the brown eyed teenager asked. /Best 8 out of 14, or would that be 15/

/Aren't you tried of this game already/ the dark side of Yugi questioned, slightly cranky.

/I guess/ Bakura admitted, shrugging. The wind suddenly picked up around them and the page of a newspaper came flying through the trees. Bakura squeaked and tried to duck, forgetting that solid objects would just move right through him. It ended up flying right through his head and smacked into the tree behind him. Curious, Yami no Yugi walked over to the tree and picked the paper up, dark red eyes falling on the title of the front page.

/What the…/ Yami no Yugi muttered, eyes widening. He turned the paper over and his mouth dropped open. /How could this…/

/What? What's it say/ Bakura asked curiously peering over his shoulder.

(-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-)

"Let's go in here!" Malik said to his fellow shoppers, pointing to what looked like a really fancy upper class clothing store. Yugi hesitated.

"This place looks really expensive, Malik. Maybe we should go somewhere cheaper…" Yugi suggested. Malik stared at him pitifully as he continued to walk toward the store.

"Yugi, did you forget? We have as much money as we need!"

"But isn't using so much cash a little suspicious? Aren't we trying _not_ to draw attention to ourselves?" he asked, following Malik and dark Bakura uncertainly.

"Its only one store! Besides this is a different clothing store then the one Bakura and I went to yesterday and we'll be gone by tomorrow anyway," he explained opening the door for Yugi and Yami no Bakura. "So what does it matter?" Yugi paused and glanced up and Yami Bakura, who wore a mask of indifference. The shorter teenager sighed in defeat and followed the other two inside.

The guy at the register eyed their scruffy appearances suspiciously as they entered, especially Yugi because he was still wear his hospital clothing. Yugi had to admit that they did look rather conspicuous, their hair and clothes messed up from sleeping in the woods looked out of place surrounded but fancy clothes. He just hoped the guy would hold off calling the police until they had left.

"Let's not buy more than we have to," Yugi advised, eyeing the guy at the counter warily. Yami no Bakura scoffed doubtfully as he and Yugi watched Malik bound away off into the depths of the store, humming cheerfully.

"God, he's irritating," Yami no Bakura groaned, hands stuffed firmly in his black coat as he shuffled moodily away. "At this rate we won't get back until sunset, _again_." Yugi shrugged and followed Yami no Bakura into a less luxurious section of the store.

"At least he's having a good time," Yugi said, looking through a rack of plain blue jeans, searching for one in his size. He remembered how unhappy Malik had been in the hospital. The dark spirit snorted indignantly.

"The sooner we get out of here the better," he grumbled eyeing a stack of shirts on a table. He carelessly snatched up three or four shirts that without even looking at them and then walked over to the rack of jeans Yugi was looking at.

"Bakura-kun…" Yugi said uncertainly, glancing up at the dark spirit nervously. "Why…did you never introduce yourself to… to, ah, the other Bakura?" Yami no Bakura continued looking through the rows of pants as if he hadn't heard Yugi at all. Yugi bit his lip and tired again, voice small. "…Bakura-kun?"

"What reason was there to tell him?" Yami no Bakura answered dryly still not looking at the shorter teenager. "Yadonushi was better off not knowing."

"But what about now?" Yugi questioned, turning fully towards Yami Bakura. "He was so confused when he woke up and… its like, he's almost afraid of you. He doesn't even know who you are. Isn't that… bad?" Yami no Bakura turned, white spikes of hair flying around his head.

"And? Would it make any difference it he did?" Bakura questioned mildly, dark eyes flashing. Yugi opened his mouth but couldn't think of anything to say. "What could he do about it even if he did know? We can't all have a happy little fuzzy relationships like you have with your darkness," he growled irritably. Yugi took a step back, feeling slightly hurt. "Look at Malik. He knew and he hates his dark side. If they weren't attached to the same body they would have killed each other a long time ago."

"So… you didn't tell Bakura-kun because you didn't want him to hate you?" Yugi asked in awe. Dark Bakura's face twitched. He spun towards Yugi, this time facing him directly, dark eyes pinning him with an angry glare.

"Don't patronize me," he snarled, his voice deathly cold. "I'm not as weak as your other side," he added with an evil grin. "I didn't tell him because I didn't want him to _resist_ me. It would be so annoying living in a host that fought you every time you wanted to get takeover." Yugi stared up at the other mental patient, purple eyes wide. What emotion was shinning in them the dark spirit couldn't tell. "Besides," Yami no Bakura continued curtly. "When this is over we'll go our separate ways and it won't matter anymore. Yadonushi will be back inside his body and he can ignore that this unpleasant memory ever happened and go on living in his world of oblivion," he spat, pulling three pairs of jeans off the rack. With his arms down laden down with clothes, Yami no Bakura strode off towards the front of the store. "I'll be waiting for you and Malik at the counter." Yugi watched him go, somberly.

'You don't understand at all,' Yugi thought sadly, his eyes falling to the floor. 'Bakura-kun can't forget about you now.' A horrible sick feeling bubbled up in his chest as he turned toward a stack of shirts. 'There's no way he could ever forget you…'

"Yugi-kun!" Malik's voice sang over the top of the rows and rows of clothing. Yugi looked up from his depression and then jumped as Malik suddenly leaped out of rack of fur lined coats to find him. The dark skinned Egyptian was supporting a pair of golden dangling earrings and matching golden bracelets along with a bunch of new clothes he had folded over his arms. "What are you doing looking at _these_ clothes? These are for nerds," he said degradingly, eyeing the boring section around him with disgust and disapproval.

"I like these clothes," Yugi protested pitifully. Malik rolled his bright violet eyes.

"Whatever. Oh, look what I found you!" he said happily, holding out a very small black leather shirt. "This would look so cool on you!" Yugi looked the shirt distrustfully.

"It looks, ah… a little hot, don't you think?" Yugi said delicately.

"What's your point?" Malik asked innocently.

"No! I mean," Yugi corrected hastily, catching the double meaning. "Isn't it a little _warm_ for Egypt's climate?" Malik thought about this, stared down at the shirt then back at Yugi again.

"What's your point?" he asked again.

"Never mind…" Yugi groaned. Malik grinned, strangely cat-like.

"So, you'll wear it?" he asked hopefully.

"Well, it looks uncomfortable…" Yugi explained timidly. Malik bowed his head in sadness.

"But I picked it out just for you," he pouted. Yugi sighed.

"Fine, we'll buy it," he conceded. Malik's grin broadened. "But that doesn't mean I'm going to wear it," Yugi explained.

"Oh, and I got you these," the Egyptian continued as if Yugi had never objected, draping a silver chain around the shorter one's neck and pulling out some silver bracelets.

"Why would I wear a chain?" Yugi asked confused.

"I don't know. But it looks cool," Malik said absentmindedly.

"But its heavy," Yugi fussed uselessly. "And chains aren't really my thing…"

"Come on, we're going to be late," the Egyptian shushed, cutting off the rest of Yugi's complaints and pushing him towards the exit. As they approached the check out counter they saw Yami no Bakura leaning up against a wall, tapping his foot impatiently.

"What took you guys so long?" he snapped harshly. Yugi was about explain when Malik suddenly jumped up forward.

"Hey Bakura," he said merrily in the same matter as he had cornered Yugi before. "I got you something really nice-"

"No," the dark spirit interrupted flatly.

"But it would make you look really, really cool, and I-" Malik began.

"No," Yami no Bakura growled coldly.

"You haven't even looked at it-"

"I said no!" Yami no Bakura snarled, dark brown eyes flashing dangerously. "Just buy these damn clothes so we can get out of here!" Malik bent his head disappointedly but approached the register anyway. He, Yugi and Yami Bakura piled their stuff onto the counter.

"How would you like to pay?" the cashier asked carefully folding the clothes and placing them in bags behind the counter.

"Cash," Malik answered. The guy at the register looked at him suspiciously. Malik grinned and reached into his back pocket, carefully miming pulling his money out, and gave the man a stack of paper yen. The man's eyebrows raised but took the money all the same and began counting out the bills carefully.

Yugi looked up and then suddenly noticed Malik was sweating. The Egyptian's hands trembling, his wide violet eyes fixed on the money in the cashier's hand. Yugi shot Yami no Bakura a worried glance and saw the dark personality had noticed this too.

'Has Malik used his power too much today?' Yugi thought, hands tightening in his panic. 'How many stores have we been too already?' They had eaten breakfast at that restaurant and they had gone to that baggage store to buy suitcases but that was it. Surely his power could last a few more seconds. The cash register opened with a small ring; the man was about the place the money inside. Yugi's throat tightened. Malik was whole body was shaking.

The money in the guy's hand flickered.

"What the…?" the guy gaped, rubbing his eyes. It flickered again. Yami no Bakura's dark eyes narrowed. Stealthily he crept over to the where their bags were behind the counter. Malik was shaking like crazy now; Yugi grabbed a hold of one of his sweaty hands, trying to keep him calm. "What's going on here?" the cashier said shoving the money into Malik's face.

Malik winced and the money disappeared into thin air.

"Is this some kind of joke?" the guy cried transfixed at his empty hands.

There was a flash of movement beside them as Yami no Bakura snatched the bags from behind the counter.

"Run!" he snapped and shoved Yugi and Malik towards the door. Malik stumbled, still recovering from the money incident. Yugi grabbed his arm, helping to pull him forward.

"Hey! Get back here!" the man at the counter cried, already picking up the phone to call for security.

"Shit!" Malik cursed sprinting out the door. "Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit! I thought I had control of that…"

"Run now! Talk later!" Yugi hissed as they ran across the street heading for the forest. There was a loud screech behind them as a few cars skidded out of their way. Yugi chanced a look behind him to see three store personal following them.

"So much for not drawing attention to ourselves," Yugi cried running faster.

"Shit!" Malik cursed again, panicking.

"Bakura!" Yugi screamed to the white haired figure sprinting ahead of them. He turned his head and came to a stop, twisting around to face their pursuers. As Yugi and Malik passed, he shoved the bags of clothing into their hands.

"What are you going to do?" Malik asked hastily.

"Clean up your mess, of course," Yami no Bakura spat, an evil grin cracking his face. Malik was about to retort when Yugi tugged his arm again.

"Lets go!" he cried. Malik scowled in disgust but followed Yugi anyway across the crowded streets. A few seconds later, a loud echoing bang echoed through the city people on the sidewalks turned toward the direction from which they had come.

Malik groaned. "That bastard better not get himself arrested!" he cursed bitterly.

"Yeah, that's the last thing we need," Yugi said glancing behind him again.

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Wow, exciting, eh?

I think I had I little too much fun with Malik this chapter. Just a tiny bit. But just imagine how you would be like if you had spent the last five years of your live in the same room? (shivers)

This was originally one half of a chapter but the chapter became too long so I had to cut it in half, that's why it's so short.

Heehee, I was going to make Ryou and Yami start playing patty cake, but that would have been a little tooooo weird.

NEXT CHAPTER! The travelers return from their ah… travels I guess. (shrug) Yami no Bakura's pissed. Then Malik's pissed when he finds out Ryou and Yami as keeping something from him.

I'm too tired to convince you all to **REVIEW**!

But I shouldn't have to convince you anyway.

**REVIEW!**

(falls asleep at computer as soon as update is complete)


	14. Share the Pain

Mmm… I feel like crap. School is hell, I have so much to do I barely have time to update this chapter. I've been staying up too late this whole week so I'm really tired. This project I got coming up is just too stressful…

Bad news. I won't be updating next week. (GASP) I know, sorry folks but I'm just simply not going to be here. Cause all Friday, Saturday _and_ Sunday guess where I'm going to be? That's right, freaking KATSUKON! I'm so excited! Just got to keep my eyes on that slim glimmer of light on the horizon. My blood relation is even coming home to accompany me. YAY!

This chapter is brought to you by the fact that the media is the essence evil. Simple as that.

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>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 

**Chyaputa 14: Share the Pain**

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

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/I play Mirror force. It destroys all your monsters in attack position/ Yami no Yugi said, flipping over his face down trap card. Bakura gasped hopelessly. 

/Crud/ he muttered disappointedly and removed all his monsters from the field to the graveyard. /I have no choice but to end my turn/ Bakura admitted with a sigh. /Looks like you're going to win this game too./ Yami no Yugi grinned smugly but tried his best not to agree with Bakura.

/Well, not necessarily/ Yami no Yugi advised. /You should trying having more confidence in yourself, maybe that would improve your game./ The sound of crunching underbrush announced Malik and Yugi's arrival into the clearing. They both fell out of the bushes almost at the same and then immediately collapsed on the ground. They were followed closely by Yami no Bakura who, unlike his fellow shoppers was radiating with shadow magic. All three were panting like they had running for a very long time; sweat clung to all of their faces.

"We made it!" Yugi gasped, lying on his back, chest heaving.

"Do you think- we- lost them-?" panted Malik.

/Aibou, you're back/ Yami no Yugi said putting down his duel monster cards and getting up to examine his lighter half's condition. /How was your trip/ he asked as he and Bakura walked over to wheezing teens.

/You guys look awful. What happened/ Bakura questioned Malik curiously.

"Oh I'll tell you what happened!" Yami no Bakura snarled, dark brown eyes livid. "If Malik had done what he was _supposed_ to do and not wasted his energies on buying food and useless jewelry, then maybe his powers wouldn't have shorted out right in front of the cashier!"

"I had control of his mind! He was going to put it in the cash register!" Malik snapped, sitting up, the glowing transparent Bakura at his side backing away nervously. "Besides, what about keeping a low profile! You blew up half the damn street!" he cried angrily. Yami no Bakura scoffed.

"We wouldn't have gotten away if I hadn't stopped those people at the shop from chasing you," Yami no Bakura growled nastily, glaring down at Malik. "Don't you even know the limits of your own power? You reckless bastard."

"Well, thanks to you we have the whole city on red alert looking for us!" Malik spat. Yami Bakura stepped away from the tree, expression threatening and furious.

"Maybe I wouldn't have had to do anything if you had done your job and stuck to the plan!"

"Come on guys, there's need for us to fight. We'll all just tired," Yugi stated calmly, pulling himself off the ground and stepping in between Malik and the dark personality, holding Yami no Bakura away from Malik with his hands and hoping the dark soul wouldn't turn on him as well.

/There's nothing we can do about it now/ the lighter half of Bakura added holding Malik back by his shoulders. /Tomorrow we'll be leaving for Egypt and then we'll never see this town again/ he reminded both of them.

"That depends, does Malik have enough strength to handle buying the tickets tomorrow?" Yami no Bakura growled in a low voice.

"Shut up!" the Egyptian yelled angrily, lurching forward but Bakura still had a good hold of him. Yami no Bakura pushed Yugi away and then turned his back to Malik.

"Maybe we shouldn't all place the certainty of our fates in someone that defective," he spat over his shoulder and walked away from the clearing, leaving a fuming Malik behind. Bakura finally let go of his friend's shoulders with a small sigh of relief.

/So… how was the rest of the trip, aibou/ Yami no Yugi dark side asked, as if there had been no interruption. /Did you get the tickets/ Yugi smiled tiredly.

"Yep, they're holding them for us at the airport, we can pick them up before we get on the plane," Yugi explained, collapsing once again on the ground. "The trip actually went pretty well until the, ah, whole clothing incident." Malik grimaced and turned his head away darkly. Bakura cautiously crawled to Yami no Yugi's other side.

/Um, should we give Malik what we found/ he asked quietly, eyeing Malik apprehensively out of the corner of his eye.

/I don't think now is a very good time/ Yami Yugi whispered back.

"Show me what?" Malik asked, turning around with interest. Yami no Yugi and Bakura winced slightly, obviously not wanting Malik to have heard.

"What'd you find?" Yugi asked looking up as well. Yami no Yugi and Bakura exchanged nervous glances. Malik frowned.

"If you're keeping something from me, I want to know," Malik demanded firmly.

/Guess it's too late now/ Yami no Yugi sighed. He got up and walked over to a small bush and pulled from inside it a newspaper. He stopped, hesitating giving it to the Egyptian. /Malik, you don't have to…/ But Malik snatched the paper out of his hands, cutting off Atemu's protests. Yugi moved in beside him looking at the text over his shoulder.

The title in big letters at the top of the page said: "Destruction of Mental Hospital in Downtown Domino". Under the heading was a large picture of the inside of the building, the hallway where Yami no Malik had caved in the ceiling. Malik grinned.

"About time they showed us some respect," Malik laughed, looking at Yami no Yugi and Bakura, who were watching him carefully from across the clearing. "Why would you hide this from me? I'm not ashamed of what we did. Those bastards deserved-"

/Not that. Look on the other side/ Yami no Yugi instructed, red eyes blank. Bakura turned his head away. Malik stared at them uneasily.

"Come on, why are you guys acting like that?" He turned the page. His violet eyes fell on another picture. The face of his sister, Doctor Ishtar, stared blankly back at him through the photo. A painful felling of apprehension filled Malik's stomach as he forced himself to look down at the text underneath the picture.

…_One of three deaths found after the destruction of mental hospital was none other than one of their top physicians, Doctor Ishizu Ishtar. She was found murdered, most likely by a one of her own escaped patients, in an empty psychiatry room. Ishtar-sensei was currently working on a project to cure her brother's hopeless mental disease. Her brother, Malik Ishtar, is one of the three dangerous mental patients still evading police capture… _

Deadly silence filled the clearing. All eyes were on Malik, his head still bowed inside the newspaper. No one moved, waiting for the Egyptian's reaction. Malik finally lifted his head from the paper, eyes wide, confusion deeply carved into his face.

"But, this…" Malik choked. He read the passage again, his copper face going almost as pale as Bakura's. "So… she's gone?" he asked dully, the newspaper slipping from his fingers. "She won't… w-won't bother me ever again…? Can't lock me up in a prison anymore? Can you… Ne-san?"

"Malik," Yugi voiced reaching out a hand but Malik slapped it harshly away.

"I'm going for a walk!" he snapped, rising from the ground and stumbling clumsily out of the clearing as fast as he could go. Yugi rose to his feet about to follow.

/Wait Yugi-kun/ Bakura said from the ground getting to his feet as well. /Let me talk to him./ Yugi stared surprisingly at the but Bakura's eyes were firm.

"Bakura-kun?" Yugi started but the white haired soul put up a hand kindly to stop him.

/I know what its like to lose a sibling/ he said and followed Malik's path. Yugi bowed his head sadly. His darker half across the clearing watched at his aibou intensely.

(-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-)

The sky had turned a dark orange green color when Malik had finally stopped running, the last rays of the days sun turning the clouds different colors. But he didn't notice the sky; his eyes were fixed upon the ground. His vision blurred. Malik shook his head violently, hands clutching his skull so that his fingernails dug painfully into his scalp.

'Why should I cry? She locked me in that prison! She took away my life!' he screamed silently, white teeth clenching painfully. 'She caused me nothing but pain! Why am I crying?' He wanted to scream but his throat was too tight. 'She's out of my life! Shouldn't I be happy?'

/Malik-kun/ a small voice spoke from he beside him. Malik looked up in shock to see the light half of Bakura's glowing ghostly form standing next to him.

"How did you… I d-didn't even hear you," Malik stumbling, dropping his arms forcefully and struggling to hold back his painful tears.

'I will not cry!' he demanded silently. 'Especially not in front of him. Not in front of anyone.' Bakura shrugged.

/Can't really make noise if you don't have a body/ he explained waving a transparent hand through a hanging branch.

"Go away!" Malik ordered. "I don't want to talk about…" his throat clogged up, it burned, everything burned. "Just go away!" he ordered fiercely, turning away.

/I don't want to talk/ Bakura said simply. Malik twisted around angrily, eyes burning with hatred.

"You can't trick me!" he cried taking a step back. "I know what you're doing. You're trying to lure me into a false sense of security, right? So I'll just spill out my guts to you and then I'll feel all better, right?" Malik accused suspiciously. Bakura scratched his head in confusion.

/Um… I hadn't really thought that far actually/ Bakura admitted apologetically. /I've never been very good at talking to people./

"Well, I'm not going to say anything anyway," Malik answered stubbornly sitting down on the ground with his hands crossed over his chest, face screwed up to stop the sobs from escaping from his chest.

/Okay/ Bakura said with a shrug and sat down in the grass next to him, staring up at he sky between the leaves. Silence filled the awkward space between them. Malik glanced over at Bakura and saw the soul wasn't planning on moving any time soon.

"Didn't you hear me? I said I'm not going to talk to you!" Malik snapped harshly.

/Yeah, I heard/ Bakura answered shortly. The evening wind passed through him without even ruffling his long white hair. Malik stared at Bakura, anger heating up in his chest.

"Then why aren't you leaving? Why aren't you saying anything? And why are you ignoring me?" Malik questioned becoming more and more angry by the second. "I told you I wanted to be alone! I'm not going to talk to you!" Bakura nodded as if he heard him but didn't answer. "Then why are you still sitting here?" Malik snarled.

/I'm looking at the sky/ Bakura answered. Malik scoffed.

"Liar! You're waiting for me to break down or something or to admit that I loved my sister even if she locked me in a prison for almost my whole life! People always try to talk to me when I don't want them to! I hate you! I hate _everyone_!" he screamed fists beating into the earth as if he were a little kid throwing a tantrum. "Ne-san always tried talking to me and I never listened, I never talked back! I never forgave her. She did everything she could to keep me in that god-forsaken hospital, to _imprison_ me there! She always said we could go back to Egypt once I was well again but after the first three years I knew it was never going to happen! I thought I was going to die in that _fucking hospital_!" he screamed, eyes closed tight, hands pulling hands of grass from the ground and making little piles of it on either side of his legs.

"But she never gave up!" he cried incredulously. "She tried to help me get well again and she always tried to talk to me but I _hated_ her. I really, _really_ hated her! For everything she did. I hated her for trying to talk to me, for trying to help me and for…" his voice could go no further. Bile and tears were building up in his throat; he opened his mouth to speak but found no more sound left in his voice. He gasped for air, trying to get oxygen down his clogged throat. He gasped again and his face fell into his hands, tears flowing freely down his face.

Bakura sat silently beside him, still staring at the rapidly dimming sky, brown eyes deep and thoughtful.

/I have dreams at night/ he said suddenly, voice soft. Malik looked up from his hands, tears still streaming down his copper face. /Of the night my sister and mother were killed/ he admitted awkwardly. /I'll always remember her that night, my sister./ His eyes dropped to the trees ahead of him as if he were expecting to see her emerge from the forest at any moment. /But… I can't remember any other day. Not her birthdays or afternoons we spent together. I know they happened I just can't remember them…/ Bakura's knees folded in close to his chest, his arms wrapping around them as if he were suddenly cold. Another long period of silence followed. The sky went dark as sun disappeared from sight; the soft glow of Bakura's body was the only source of light.

Then, much to Bakura's surprise, Malik threw his arms around Bakura's thin ghostly shoulders. His face dug into Ryou's semi-transparent neck. The white haired soul sat there, quite stunned.

'Never expected this to happen,' he thought awkwardly. He could feel Malik's body shaking with the force of his sobs as the Egyptian cried his heart out. Bakura's eyes softened and he dropped his head on top of Malik's platinum blond hair comfortingly.

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Barely ten feet away, Yami no Malik's pale dead eyes watched from the shadows as the pair on the forest floor wrapped their arms around each other in some kind of desperate comfort. He growled in disgust as Bakura Ryou dropped his head upon Malik's.

Hatred flared in Yami no Malik's twisted dark face, directed right at Bakura's white haired head.

(-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-)

/So what did you buy anyway/ Yami no Yugi asked peering curiously into the bag of clothes Yugi had bought that day.

"Oh, just some jeans and shirts. We really didn't have a lot of time to chose," Yugi explained, rummaging through their supply of food. Yami no Yugi pulled out a plain white T-shirt shirt from the bag.

/Aren't you tired of white/ he asked glaring at the shirt critically.

"Oh, guess I wasn't thinking," Yugi apologized looking down at his white hospital jump suit he was still wearing. His dark side pulled out the different pairs of pants and then his eyes widened.

/What's this/ he asked holding up the black leather shirt, eyes widening with interest. Yugi dropped whatever food he had been holding, face turning rapidly pale.

"Ah, Malik bought it for me," he explained hurriedly trying to grab the shirt away from his dark side's hands but Yami no Yugi pulled it out of his reach.

/Leather/ he asked inquiring, red eyes dancing with amusement.

"Yeah, I told Malik it would be too hot- I mean, too _warm_ in Egypt but he really wanted me to buy it," Yugi said reaching for the shirt again.

Yami no Yugi grinned mischievously. /Sure he did/ he muttered sarcastically. Yugi frowned, face turning from pale to pink.

"Mou hitori no boku!" Yugi cried in frustration. "This isn't funny!"

/I think its amusing/ Yami no Yugi teasing, rising the shirt high above Yugi's head. Yugi jumped up to snatch it but his dark side pulled it away just in time.

"Fine! Keep it! I don't want it," Yugi snapped turning his back from him. Yami no Yugi bent his head, slightly hurt by the tone in Yugi's voice. An arm slipped over Yugi's shoulder, landing the black shirt in his hands.

/Sorry/ Yami Yugi muttered. Yugi turned around to face him, smile back on his face.

"Its okay, I'm not really mad at you," Yugi reassured, putting the shirt back into his clothes bag.

/So… are you going to wear it/ Yami no Yugi asked pryingly.

"Why?" Yugi questioned, fixing his darker side with a suspicious stare.

/I was just wondering/ Yami no Yugi answered, casually turning his gaze away.

"Well, I wasn't planning on it," Yugi answered honestly. "It's not my style and it's too uncomfortable." Yami no Yugi frowned disappointingly and looked through the bag again.

/And these/ he asked holding up the silver chains Malik had also bought him.

"Malik," Yugi answered shortly. "Don't look at me like that! I really didn't buy them!"

/Sure you didn't/ Yami Yugi muttered, still grinning. /Why don't you wear them? They'll make you look cool./

"There… not my style," Yugi protested weakly. Yami no Yugi looked disappointed.

/There's nothing wrong with wanting to look cool/ his dark side reminded him.

"If you like them so much, then you wear them," Yugi retorted. Yami no Yugi sulked.

/Aibou, I don't have a body/ he reminded his light side pitifully. /How am I going to where them/

"Oh, sorry," Yugi admitted, taken aback and suddenly feeling guilty that he had brought that fact up. "Fine, I'll wear the necklace, but only because you can't." Yami Yugi grinned triumphantly.

/And the shirt/ he asked hopefully.

"I told you no! I'm not wearing the shirt!" Yugi said firmly.

/How about the matching bracelets/ the dark side asked holding up the two smaller sliver chains.

Yugi groaned. "_Fine_, I'll wear them, but only for you." His darker side grinned and slipped the bracelets over his aibou's hands and then clasped them both over his wrists. "There. Happy now?" Yugi asked.

/Yes/ Yami no Yugi answered, still holding onto Yugi's hands. He ran his ghostly thumbs over Yugi's smooth palms, eyes narrowing softly. Yugi looked up into his face.

"What's wrong?" Yugi asked curiously. His darker side shook his head, throwing off some bad thought.

/Nothing./

Yugi frowned. "You're lying," he accused. "There's something on your mind that you're not telling me." Yami no Yugi stared at his aibou in surprise. Yugi grinned. "You forget, I can tell when you're lying."

/Sorry, aibou/ his dark side apologized. He still hadn't let go of Yugi's hands. /Guess I can't hide anything from you/ he said cheerfully before his eyes darkened again, a serious look still trapped within them. /Aibou, I don't like this trip. There's something about it… it just doesn't feel right./ Yugi pulled his hands from his darkness' grip.

"I know how you feel, but," he paused. "I want to believe in Bakura-kun. I want to believe I can seal you back into my body." Yami no Yugi's eyes narrowed at the mention of Bakura.

_/You're the only soul in your host's body now. If you left, you'd never have to deal with an annoying light half any longer… Someone as intelligent as yourself wouldn't stay without good reason, not unless there's something you can still get out of it./_

/But how can we believe what he says/ Yami no Yugi questioned seriously. /We're going halfway around the world simply based on his word. I mean, why Egypt/

"Why not?" Yugi asked simply, innocent purple eyes content. "Grandpa always said there was something magical about Egypt when he was visited there." Yami no Yugi frowned.

/I don't think that's exactly what he meant, aibou/ the dark personality corrected.

Yugi shrugged. "Then I guess we'll find out when we get there."

/Unless… Bakura has some other reason for going to Egypt…/ Yami no Yugi suggested. Yugi's brow wrinkled in confusion but he seemed unfazed by the idea.

"You know, for some reason, I don't think there is. Even though Bakura acts really mean and cold, I genuinely think he wants to go there to help his lighter half. After all Bakura-kun's just like us in some ways," Yugi added with a warm smile. "This is going to be a hard journey for all of us, mou hitori no boku. If we can't trust each other how do we expect to get through this?" Yami no Yugi frowned and then turned his eyes to the forest, searching their depths as far of the darkness would permit him.

/I hope you're right, aibou/ Yami no Yugi muttered distrustfully.

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(sob) I LOVE MALIK! 

You guys like that little RyouXMalik hinting I snuck in? That was for my blood relation, she loves that pairing. Mwahahaha. Don't worry, Malik just needed a sympathetic shoulder to cry on.

That ending scene with Yugi, Yami and the clothing was another tribute to the wonderousness of the manga and what the evil dubbed people cut out, along with that brief instance with Yami no Bakura and that stake two chapters ago. Mwahahaha. I feel empowered.

Next chapter, basically they get to Egypt. What was that? Evil curses? Under ground cities? Who the hell is that guy?

Remember, there will be no update next week, sorry wonderous readers all.

Although… if I get enough reviews I might change my mind… hm….

**REVIEW!**


	15. Regulation of the Tribe

Phew! Lordly it's been a long time! Two whole weeks! (GASP) I was so excited for this weekend mostly because I get to update now! WOOT!

My blood relation, Ron-chan, came home and we went to Katsukon, which, I might add, was fucking AWESOME! If anyone saw two girls, one with a Thief Bakura's red coat (that was me, I didn't put on the rest of the costume cause I'm lazy) and one with purple hair running around with a digital video camera, that was us.

Oh freaking dancing hell! We saw this FREAKINGLY AMAZINGLY WONDERFUL anime called **Sukisho** or **Sukisyo** or whatever! Its SHOUNENAI and, wait for it, they actually DO STUFF! AND THEY HAVE _SPLIT PERSONALIES_! It's fucking awesome! FUCKING AWESOME I TELL YOU! **SPLIT PERSONALITIES** _AND_ **SHOUNENAI**! (squeals and dies with happiness) Its like Yuugiou only BETTER!

Ok, that's enough, sorry for ranting on you all. So here's a brand new squishy chapter! The adventure gets moving, FINALLY! I hadn't read this chapter in a long time cause I didn't like it… not that YOU shouldn't like it! Lots of stuff happens and is explained and yeah…

This chapter is brought to you by: Mystery Vegetables reminding you never to ride in a plane with Malik and that Yugi's shoulder seems to attract other people's drool (don't ask, just read. Crazy peoples…).

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**Chyaputa 15: Regulation of the Tribe **

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"We'll be landing in just a few moments, ladies and gentlemen. Please buckle your seat belts and sit tight. We're just passing through some mild turbulence," the captain's voice announced over the speaker system as the body of the plane shook violently. 

"_Mild_ turbulence?" Malik questioned angrily, glaring weakly at the seat in front of him. His face was tinged a pale sickly green color, his barf bag close to his mouth at the ready. "'Deliver you safely to your destination', my ass," he cursed and retched into his white bag again. The sounds and acidic smells wafting from the seat beside Yugi were enough to make him sick as well. Yami no Bakura, however, looked perfectly content, sleeping soundly on Yugi's shoulder chewing on a lock of Yugi's unwashed sticky hair.

"I can't believe you've never been on a plane before," Yugi said, patting Malik on the back comfortingly andtrying to ignore Yami Bakura as he began to drool on Yugi's shirt in his slumber. "How did you get to Japan in the first place?" Malik looked up from his barf bag miserably, purple eyes blood shot from lack on sleep on the ten-hour plane ride.

"Boat," Malik moaned voice cracking pitifully. The plane dropped again, people in the seats around them gasped, Malik shoved his face back into the bag. Yugi looked away sickly.

'At least it's almost over,' he thought thankfully.

/Aibou/ Yami no Yugi said sticking his head through the floor beneath Yugi's seat. Yugi jumped in surprise. Yami no Bakura snorted in his sleep but didn't wake up.

"Where have you been?" Yugi asked, trying to keep his voice low so they wouldn't attract attention.

/In the luggage compartment to make sure we're not seen./ His eye twitched angrily as he spotted Yami no Bakura sleeping on Yugi's shoulder.Yami no Yugiglared furiously at the other darker half, who didn't seem to notice. /How has the ride been up here/

"Oh, its been okay," Yugi lied, trying to keep his mood positive. His darker half stared at him suspiciously. "How about you? What have you been doing?"

/We've been playing Duel Monsters but we only have Bakura's deck so there aren't that many cards/ his darker side grumbled regrettably, still glowering fiercely at Yami no Bakura using Yugi as a pillow.

"I'm glad you and Bakura are such good friends," Yugi said cheerfully.

_I would rather have spent time with you,_ Yami no Yugi muttered silently, the unspoken thought passing through their mental link, whether by the darker half's will or not.

The plane gave another jerk and landed safely on the ground, Malik moaned leaning over his weak empty growling stomach.

"We have now landed in Cairo. This has been your pilot, Captain Amelda, and we wish you all a safe travel," the voice over the speakers announced dryly. Yugi grabbed Yami no Bakura's head and shoved it off his slight damp shoulder. The dark spirit woke with a start and looked around as through he had forgotten where he was.

"We have to get off the plane now," Yugi reminded him. Yami no Bakura frowned and wiped a spot of spittle of his chin.

"Already? That wasn't very long," he drawled standing up, scratching his head.

'Not long?' Yugi thought. 'You were a sleep through all of it…'

"Land," Malik groaned desperately, hands pressed desperately against the tiny window, gazing dreamily at the ground. "Good, sweet, sweet, solid land."

"We're not out of the plane yet," Yami no Bakuragrowled, grabbing Malik by the collar pulling him forcefully to his feet. Malik's knees wobbled and Yami no Bakura had to practically drag him out into the aisle joining the pack of people filing to get out of the plane. Yami no Yugi floated at Yugi's side, red eyes fixed angrily on the back of dark Bakura's white haired head.

"Where's Yami no Malik?" Yugi asked curiously looking around the rapidly emptying seats. "I don't think I've seen him all flight…"

/Neither have I/ Yami Yugi admitted.

/Maybe he missed the plane/ normal Bakura suggested, slipping easily up through the floor and joining with the two Yugis at the front.

"No, he must have made it on," Yami no Bakura cursed, towing the sickly Egyptian behind him. "He wouldn't miss the only opportunity to get his body back."

The five souls finally made it safely off the plane in into the airport. Just as Yami no Bakura predicted, Yami no Malik joined them shortly afterward, stalking moodily along behind the rest, face dark and shadowed.

"Wish we had left him at Japan," Malik cursed hatefully to Yami no Bakura in a low voice. Yami Bakura made no comment, dark eyes fixed on the path ahead. "And I am _suing_ that plane company when with mess is all over!" Malik cursed loudly. "That fight attendant guy, Valon, was such a jerk!"

"His name was Baron," Yugi corrected kindly.

"Whatever!" Malik spat. It took a while to get through customs, mostly because Ryou, Yami no Yugi and Yami no Malik had to keep hidden in the walls of the airport so they would not be seen and therefore kept getting lost but eventually all six of the souls eventually made it out of the building safe and sound.

/Where to now/ Yami no Yugi asked as Yugi and Bakura Ryou gasped open mouthed at the new country, eyes wide with amazement.

"Just follow me. I grew up here, remember?" Malik said confidently, standing on his own feet again and walking ahead proudly, leading the group into the mass of an Egyptian market place.

(-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-)

Despite having put on new clothes only the day before, Yugi, Yami no Bakura and Malik were all tired, dirty, and smelling by the end of the day. Not that it was surprising since they had slept in the woods for two days and were now trudging across the open desert and still had not had a chance to bathe. Yami no Yugi, Bakura Ryou and Yami no Malik, however, looked perfectly content in the hot orange shimmering air, having no clothes and no body to be effect by the harsh elements.

"How- much further do we- have to walk?" Yugi panted. His sneakers were already filled sand and sweat was pouring down his face.

"It should be around here someplace…" Malik said scratching his head and looking around curiously.

"Malik, we're in the middle of a god forsaken _desert_!" Yami no Bakura snarled threateningly, all remains of his normally cool composer had disappeared after the first fifteen minutes. "There's _nothing_ here!" His large black trench coat was caked with several layers of sand. Yugi was surprised the dark spirit hadn't collapsed from exhaustion under the weight of it all.

/A lot has probably changed since you left Malik/ Yami no Yugi said logically, keeping a firm hold on his calm. /The place you're looking for might have been destroyed./

"No!" Malik spat and suddenly glared fiercely at Yami Yugi. "It was not destroyed! It can't be destroyed!"

/Well, well, well…/ Yami no Malik interrupted excitedly, looking casually behind them. /Looks like we have a visitor./ The whole grouped turned around to see a dark skinned man, walking slowly towards them. Yami no Malik licked his dry lips, hands flexed and ready to attack.

"Save your energy," Yami no Bakura snapped darkly, stepping in front of him. Yami no Malik snarled at the white haired teen but conceded none the less. The figure came closer; his bald uncovered head was glistening in the dying sun.

"Who are you?" the man cried harshly. "Why have you trespassers come here?" Malik stepped forward proudly.

"I'm Malik Ishtar," he called determinedly, chin held high, platinum blonde hair ruffling in the dry desert breeze. "Before we tell you our business, I would like to know whom _I_ am speaking to!" he commanded.

The man, only a few feet away, suddenly stopped at the mention of Malik's name. Yugi could see a line of scars on the left side of the guy's face; it looked like someone had carved letters into his skin.

"M-Malik?" the man spoke, in a much softer tone. "You are Malik-sama?" Malik's hands suddenly relaxed at his sides.

"Could it be… are you Rishido?" Malik asked hopefully, stepping forward. The man nodded, still slightly stunned. The others watched in shock as Malik suddenly ran towards him and tackled the large man with a violent hug. "Rishido!" the teenager cried, happily. "I can't believe it!"

"M-Malik-sama," the man cried grabbing the boy's face and examining it carefully. "Y-you've came back?" Hot thankful tears stung at the back of the man's eyes. "You've grown so much through these long years. Where is Ishizu-sama?" he questioned looking around at the other teenagers coming toward him. Malik's head bent gravely.

"S-she…" he muttered quietly. "Ne-san isn't coming, Rishido… She…" his voice failed.

/She's dead/ Yami no Malik sneered mildly, glaring at the man. /Ne-san died./ Rishido's dark yellow eyes spotted the darker side of Malik, standing ominously behind the rest. The man's expression clouded like an angry thunderstorm.

"_You_…" he said angrily. Yami no Malik smirked, nastily.

/What? No warm welcome for me, Rishido/ he mocked wickedly, pale eyes narrowing. Visible hatred flashed in the space between Yami no Malik and the older man. None the less, Rishido tore his gaze away from him turned to Malik questionably.

"This can not be true… Is Ishizu-sama really…?" he muttered, gravely. Malik looked away.

"It's true. Ne-san is dead… but I will explain everything later," he dismissed, finally letting go of his old friend. "Everyone, this is Rishido." Yugi stepped forward warmly and took the man's hand, Bakura Ryou standing nervously behind him.

"Nice to meet you," Yugi said.

"All friends of Malik-sama are welcome,"the mansaid warmly.

"Tell me, Rishido," Malik said after the introductions were complete. "What has happened to the entrance to your city? I'm sure I remembered it around here somewhere. It wasn't destroyed, was it?"

"Malik-sama," the man answered. "The entrance is on the other side of the town." The whole group turned like a ferocious pack of wolves on Malik.

"You mean we've been looking in the wrong place for over _three hours_!" Yami no Bakura screamed, dark eyes flashing murderously.

"Oh… oh yeah, that's right!" Malik exclaimed in realization. "Well, let's go there then!" He spun around, kicking up sand with his feet and turned towards the entrance's real location.

"Why do you want to go there, Malik-sama?" Rishido asked as the group began to move again.

"We need a place to stay the night. What better then my own village?" Malik said importantly.

"But no one lives in that city anymore…" Rishido said hesitantly. Malik's limbs froze, his purple eyes wide.

"You can't be serious!" Malik cried desperately, turning on his servant once again. "Why? Where have they gone!" He grabbed the front of Rishido's white robes in urgency, panic and confusion filling his face.

"Since your father, Ishtar-sama, died and you and Ishizu-sama left, the clan has had no leader. Eventually everyone gave up hope you would ever come back…"

Malik's face darkened, angry fists trembling. "Cowards…" he cursed. Everyone was silent. Ryou and Yugi watched Malik cautiously.

'In just two days,' Yugi thought sadly, glazing at his friend mournfully. 'Malik's lost everything, his sister and his family…'

"Come," Rishido comforted. "Let's not stand here… I have a place just at the edge of town where you all can stay."

(-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-)

By the time the group of unwashed teenagers settled in at Rishido's small cramped, if you could call it, house, Yugi's stomach was growling quite loudly. Rishido's stony face twitched into a small smile and began to serve dinner. Yami no Malik, once again, disappeared into the darkness outside. The original Malik didn't talk much all through the making of the thin vegetable stew and sat in an isolated corner glaring angrily at the floor in deep thought. Ryou's glowing ghostly form joined him on the floor to keep him company but Malik pretended he wasn't there.

"Here." Rishido handed Yugi and Yami no Bakura bowls of the soup and set a bowl in front of Malik's feet. The younger Egyptian barely muttered a thankful grunt but made no move to pick it up. Yami no Bakura and Yugi ate furiously, emptying their bowls almost at the same time and handing them to Rishido to fill again. Malik picked at his soup without eating anything, pulling a long slimy mystery vegetable out of the brown liquid and glaring at it.

"Hey," Yami no Bakura called getting Rishido's attention. "Do you know anything about the temple of Kuru Eruna?" Yugi, Ryou and Yami no Yugi looked up surprised. Rishido's frame went rigid at this strange request and turned his questioning stare on the white haired boy.

"How do you know of that cursed temple?" he asked suspiciously. Yami no Bakura's eyes narrowed threateningly.

"Just answer the question," the dark soul ordered harshly. Rishido paused and then looked down at Malik, who made no sign that he was paying attention to the conversation at all.

"It is the secret of our clan," he said in a low voice. Malik's head suddenly shot up.

"What secret? I've never heard of this temple," he accused.

"You were too young at the time but the Tomb Guardians have been guarding the secret of its location for thousands of years."

/Thousands of years/ Yami no Yugi repeated seriously. /What is in this temple? What can you tell us about it/ he questioned urgently. Every soul in the room was now staring at the old Egyptian with intense interest.

"It is said that it holds a great power that only the chosen ones can grasp," he explained. Yami no Yugi shot angry look at dark Bakura, who shrugged in satisfaction.

_Damn, it's just as Bakura said,_ Yami no Yugi cursed silently.

"But it is also said that the unworthy ones' souls will be consumed." Ryou and Yugi shivered. Yami no Bakura looked unmoved, even slightly bored. Had he heard this before? "Why do you seek this temple?" Rishido asked desperately to Malik, who had returned to his silent state.

"That's none of your business," Yami no Bakura sneered loftily. "But I should say that if you care for your master's well-being you will bring us to the location tomorrow." The dark soul stood up; bits of sand flicking off the black material off his over coat as he strode from the room.

"Malik-sama," Rishido continued cautiously, eyes narrowed in seriousness. "That temple is dangerous. Those that venture too far inside have never come out again. Horrible darkness is said to lingering in its depths." Malik remained silent as though he couldn't hear him. Then he suddenly stood up, eyes hardened and still staring at the floor.

"I'm going to bed," Malik announced and walked out of the room. Rishido looked after him; his face lined with worry.

/If you don't mind me asking/ Bakura Ryou said cautiously, looking up at the old Egyptian/Malik mentioned something about a hidden underground city a while back, is that where he grew up/ Rishido hesitated, looking down at Ryou gravely.

"Yes, that's where we all grew up. Malik-sama is from a tribe of grave keepers," Rishido began, settling himself down on a wooden stool. "I heard the tribe's lineage goes back all the way to the pharaohs of ancient Egypt. They were ordered to remain underground, away from modern civilization, to protect the secret of their ancestors until a certain time."

/What time/ Yami no Yugi questioned seriously. Rishido shrugged.

"I have no idea. I myself was not born into the tribe; these are only things that I have overheard. You see, Malik-sama's mother found me abandoned as a baby and took me in as a servant. I was ordered to watch over Ishizu-sama and Malik-sama until… that incident…" The man's voice died, his eyes were clouded with some dark memory.

"That incident?" Yugi prompted curiously. Rishido looked up.

"That ghost-like man who looks like Malik-sama, he is his other personality, is he not?" Rishido asked seriously, eyes suddenly cold.

/How did you know/ Yami no Yugi asked surprised. Rishido's expression darkened.

"I have seen him once before, six years ago. As I told you before, the members of the tribe were forbidden to make contact with the outside world but Malik-sama always begged Ishizu-sama to let him go up, out into the sun. One day Ishizu-sama finally gave in and while their father was sleeping Malik-sama and Ishizu-sama snuck up to the surface. But Ishtar-sama found out where his children had gone and when Malik-sama and Ishizu-sama returned he beat me within an inch of my life right in front of them and claimed he would torture them next, a punishment for breaking the clans sacred rules."

Ryou's eyes widened fearfully. /How awful/ he whispered.

"I lost consciousness soon afterward but when I awoke I saw Malik-sama standing over me with a bloody knife in his hands, a horrible twisted expression on his face," Rishido explained stiffly. "It was inhuman."

/His dark personality/ Yami no Yugi commented grimly.

"Yes. When his father had tried to beat Malik-sama, Malik-sama's other self came out and killed him. He would have killed Ishizu-sama and me as well if I hadn't woken up and stopped him…" Yami no Yugi and Yugi looked at each other and then forcefully looked away. Ryou stared at the floor, his wide brown eyes full of his own bloody past.

(-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-)

/Do you think that man is right, about the temple consuming people's souls/ Bakura Ryou asked quietly to Yugi as the shorter teen lay out a woven mat Rishido had given him to sleep on.

"I don't know what to think," Yugi admitted shrugging, lying down on his bed and covering himself with a dirty linen sheet. "I just hope that by this time tomorrow, this will all be over." Ryou and Yami no Yugi both nodded in hopeful agreement.

/But I think its safe to say that we can not trust either of the other two darker halves. The other Malik is always disappearing and doing who knows what. And the other Bakura…/ Yami no Yugi looked out toward the next room where the white haired psychopath was sleeping /He hasn't been telling the whole truth from the start./

"Maybe he didn't know that temple was dangerous," Yugi suggested.

Yami Yugi looked at Yugi, eyes fixed in a disbelieving stare. /I doubt that./

/Even if it's dangerous, I would still go/ Ryou said truthfully. Yugi and his dark side turned to him, surprised at the sudden serious tone in his words. /If that temple has the power to put our souls back together then maybe there's something in there that explains why there are two halves of us in the first place/ Ryou murmured, brown eyes deepening in thought. /That's what I want to know most of all, where the darker halves came from…/ Ryou's gaze fell down to the floor, face darkening despite his glowing skin.

Yugi and his darker side went silent, staring at Ryou in amazement.

(-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-)

Malik waited until the voices in the room next door finally stopped and night had fallen into deep impenetrable blackness outside. As smooth as liquid, he slipped out of his sheets and knelt down on the floor next to where Rishido slept. He grabbed a hold of the man's shoulder and shook him awake.

"Mali-" Rishido began but Malik silenced his servant with a harsh look then pulled him to the door leading outside. Very confused, the man followed, careful not to make any noise as they crept out the door and to the back of the house. "Malik-sama, what are we doing?" he hissed, voice barely above a whisper as they sunk further away from the house.

"Getting out of here," Malik answered. "We're leaving." The older Egyptian stopped bewildered.

"You're leaving your friends? But why? I don't understand," Rishido questioned urgently. They reached the small wooden shed at the back of the house and Malik shoved the large wooden doors open and entered.

"I'll explain later," Malik hissed revealing a motorbike under a ragged old cloth. He coughed at the particles of dust and sand, disturbed by his movement. "We just need to get out of here before anyone notices we're gone."

/And why is that/ a cold sharp voice spat from behind them. Rishido and Malik's heads snapped around to see Yami no Malik emerging from the shadows of the house, dangerous pale blonde spikes of hair casing distorted shadows on the sandy ground. /Going somewhere, weaker half/ he snarled deathly, pale pupil-less eyes wide.

Rishido stepped in front of his master protectively, eyes daring the dark spirit to come closer. Malik impulsively stepped backwards towards the motorbike, already starting to tremble.

/Is this another attempt to escape your fate/ Yami no Malik was deadly serious, it was scary. Even Rishido could feel the overwhelming pressure coming off his body. /That's my body, weak personality, you're not taking it anywhere/

"You can try to stop me!" Malik snarled hatefully, still shaking like mad. Yami no Malik took a threatening step forward. Malik flinched and Rishido moved in front of him again.

/Get out the way, servant/ Yami no Malik spat. /Or I will kill you./

"Well now, what's all this?" a lazy voice spoke. All three people turned and saw Yami no Bakura standing coolly behind them, white hair glowing eerily in the faint moonlight.

"Bakura-kun!" Malik exclaimed in relief. Yami no Malik looked even more pissed.

/This is none of your business/ he growled irritably, glaring at the newcomer.

"Oh is it?" Yami no Bakura questioned mildly. "Would you excuse us for a moment?" he ordered, turning to Rishido. "I promise nothing will happen to your master." The man looked unsatisfied, looking between both the darker halves distrustfully.

"Its okay, Rishido," Malik said. "Go get us some food and supplies from the kitchen." Rishido hesitated but faithfully followed orders and went into the house.

"So, you're running away, Malik?" Yami no Bakura asked mildly, now that they were alone.

"Yes, and nothing you can say can stop me," Malik spat stubbornly. Yami no Malik stepped forward again, white eyes so furious they were almost homicidal.

/What wrong? Don't want to join with me again/ Yami no Malik snarled. /I can see you at night, weaker half, curled up into a ball, shivering like a wounded animal! Are you afraid to go to sleep because you can't get rid of your nightmares of me/ he taunted sickeningly, a cruel evil grinned stretching his thin lip-less mouth.

"Shut up!" Malik cried fiercely, backing away. "I hate you! I hope you die!" Yami no Malik lunged forward but Yami no Bakura put out a hand to stop him.

"Let me handle this," Yami no Bakura hissed to the other dark soul and then turned to Malik. To Malik's surprise Yami no Bakura's face twisted angrily and he took hold of the front of Malik's shirt, bringing the Egyptian's face right up to his own threateningly.

"Bakura! What are you doing?" Malik cried. He had thought Yami no Bakura had come out to protect him from Yami no Malik.

"How _dare_ you be so selfish! I expected better from you Malik!" Yami no Bakura spat threatening, white teeth dangerously close to Malik's face. "Didn't you know? All six souls must enter the temple for the power to be given! If you do not come to the temple tomorrow then none of us get to join with our other halves!" Malik's purple eyes widened.

"You're lying! I don't believe you!" he snapped, starting to struggle. "Let me go!"

"If you leave, yadonushi and Yugi's darker side will disappear from existence, and believe me Malik, that's a thousand times worse than actual dying," he sneered, voice lethal, white hair glowing in the moonlight like knife blades. "Do you really want to be responsible for that?"

"No, you're lying… you have to be!" Malik repeated helplessly. Yami no Bakura grinned, seeing despair fill Malik's blank eyes. He tossed Malik to the ground where the Egyptian landed in a crumpled heap.

"I'm sure your darker side won't be so nice if you try to leave again," Yami no Bakura threatened turning away and leaving Malik broken on the ground. His dark brown eyes caught Yami no Malik's skeptically stare and distasteful scowl. Yami no Bakura smirked cruelly. "Your welcome," Yami no Bakura taunted the other darker half smugly and then walked coolly back to his room. Yami no Malik glared suspiciously at the back of Yami no Bakura's head before the other dark soul disappeared back into the house. Yami no Malik looked down at his weaker half one last time, scoffed and then left, turning back to the protection of the shadows.

An empty hole of despair was filling Malik's body, eating away at his insides.

"Dammit!" Malik screamed angrily, frustrated tears were hanging in the corners of his eyes. He pounded the sand with his fist, dull pain shooting up his arm.

'I could leave, if I really wanted to.' The thought echoed dully in his hollow brain. The knowledge that his motorcycle was only a few feet away tempted him. He glanced hopelessly towards the shed. 'I could be free. It would be so easy… but I… I…'

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The next day dawned pale and sickly. As Yugi pulled himself up from his slumber he could feel a heavy unmistakable tension hanging in the air. At breakfast, Malik looked like a zombie, dark circles under his dim purple eyes. No matter how much Ryou and Yugi tried to cheer him up, Malik would not move. Yami no Malik joined the group for breakfast that day, standing ominously in the opposite corner, glaring angrily at his lighter half across the room, pale dead eyes narrowed threateningly. Rishido watched the dark spirit's movements suspiciously, making sure he stayed directly in between Yami no Malik and his master.

Yugi and his darker side observed it all, slightly confused.

_Did something happen while I was asleep?_ Yugi asked, looking curiously up at his darker half. Yami no Yugi shrugged and blew a stray ghostly strand of golden hair from in front his red eyes.

_I don't know, but I saw Yami no Bakura come in from outside really late last night. Then that Rishido guy carried Malik back in, _he answered.

Yugi turned his gaze over to Yami no Bakura puzzled, but the white haired demon pretended he didn't notice anything and continued to wolf down his slim breakfast of stale bread and dried fruit. Ryou looked across the room towards his dark side then to Yugi, the same question lingering in his eyes. Yugi shrugged and finished his own breakfast. Uncomfortable silence filled the mud brick house. Then finally Yami no Bakura stood up, sharp eyes sweeping the room harshly.

"Let's get going," he ordered clearly, moving toward the door. His dark eyes landed on Rishido. "You'll be showing us to that secret temple of yours now."

_Bakura seems to be in a rush,_ Yugi thought standing up as well. Across the room Ryou helped the limp Malik to his feet. Everyone slowly headed toward the door and into Rishido's car in shed behind his cramped house.

The ride over to the temple was even more unbearable than that morning's breakfast had been. They were cramped into smaller space, Malik sitting up front, removed from the others, Ryou's transparent body sitting in the empty space between Malik's seat and Rishido's, who was driving. Yami no Bakura, Yugi and Yami no Yugi sat on the back bench, Yami no Malik in the space behind their three person seat.

They took a ferry across the Nile river and then drove for another three hours, no one saying a word. Yugi, Ryou and Yami no Yugi, exchanged glances every once in a while but didn't say anything. Yami no Bakura's eyes were fixed out the window, desert countryside slowly changing more and more wild as they continued.

Finally after several long hours, a small town appeared at the edge of the horizon. Rishido finally stopped the car at the edge of it.

"This is it," he said as they filed slowly out of the car. "The tomb robber village of Kuru Eruna." Yugi looked around at and run-down town. Buildings were falling apart and there were hardly any people to be seen, except for an occasional glassy eye peering out of dark alleys, half closed doors or windows. "We'd better stick together," Rishido advised cautiously. "They are many dangerous people still living in this village."

/Why would there be a secret temple be in the middle of a thief town/ Ryou asked the man curiously as they began to walk.

"In ancient times the very rumor of this place kept most people away so it became a haven for outlaws and criminals," the old Egyptian explained. "But many of the people living in the village eventually went insane. That is the horrible curse of this temple, it eats your soul." Ryou wrapped his arms around his shoulders as though he could already feel his soul slowly being dissolved away.

Rishido stopped at a small stone house in the center of the town. It looked pretty ordinary, almost exactly the same as the building next to it.

"This is the place that you seek," he said pointing to the stone building.

"It doesn't look like a temple," Yugi observed. He had imagined something large and scary looking with all this talk of soul eating and powers of darkness.

"It's underground," Rishido explained. "The entrance to the temple is inside the house." The man made a motion for them to go inside. Yami no Bakura grunted and walked in, Yami no Malik following behind him.

/Aren't you coming/ Yami Yugi asked the old Egyptian. Rishido shook his head.

"Only the chosen ones are allowed inside the temple," he answered. His golden green eyes fell on Malik as he turned to leave. The younger Egyptian's horrified gaze was fixed on the building, his legs paralyzed with fear.

'If I go in there,' Malik thought desperately. 'If I go in there… I'll never be free from my darker side again…'

/Malik-kun/ Ryou asked as he and Yugi were about to enter the building. /Lets go/ he said, oblivious to Malik's dire situation. Malik hesitated, hands trembling.

"Its okay, Malik-kun," Yugi encouraged cheerfully, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Even if this temple is dangerous if we stick together it will be okay." In the shadows, Yami no Malik watched his light closely with pale sickly eyes. Yami no Bakura's mouth curled into a smirk.

'Idiots, he's not afraid of entering the temple,' Yami no Bakura mocked silently. But there was nothing for him to worry about; after all, Malik couldn't very well abandon them now.

Malik, his voice failing him, nodded his head weakly. Then, stepping forward and swallowing hard on the sick feeling bubbling up in his throat, he followed Yugi and Ryou into the house.

"I'll wait for you by the car," Rishido called after them and turned away, not expecting an answer. The group was all gathered inside the small stone building and then took one last look at the outside world before disappearing under the ground.

* * *

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

* * *

Dun, dun, dun. (dramatic music) 

That was long. More time to feel sorry for poor little Malik. (cries)

Yeah… Yugi's shoulder seems to attract people, first Malik then Yami no Bakura. And why do they both drool? Why? (deep thoughts)

Haha... Valon, Baron? I crack myself up.

Ryou's line, that one about wanting to know where the darker halves came from, is a morphed version from a line in the manga where he says, "I have to find out the mystery of the sennen items. What are they? Where did they come from?" See! He's useful! He has a purpose! Really, he does!

**Next Chapter**: They enter the temple (duh). Everything looks kinda ordinary then... _BAM_! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES! What's this? Swords? Knives? Glaves? WHY?

Reviewing is good! Why, you ask? Reviews make author happy. If author is happy then story gets better and the author updates. So logically one can conclude…

**REVIEW! **

PLEASE REVIEW!

**REVIEW** LIKE YOUR LIVES DEPEND ON IT!


	16. Protector of the Sanctuary

Somehow, even though I'm only editing, my story has grown at least five pages in the last few months… I wonder why that is.

Oh my freaking hell lords. I have not written ANYTHING all week! I'm going INSANE, I swear! Though it can't be helped I have SO much to do. I've got waaaaaaaaaay too many after school commitments that give me only just enough time to finish my homework for the next day, if you know I stay up real late and not procrastinate. I might just collapse under the weight of it all one day, just kinda snap and burn down the school or something. If this story wasn't already written there would not have been a chapter this week or for the next weeks for that matter. Now I finally know how all the other authors feel…

On a happier note, I haven't actually looked at the number of my reviews for a while maybe I'll do that now… REVIEWERS ARE AMAZING! (give hugs to everyone)

I'll just say this… I LOVE THIS CHAPTER!

Enjoy.

This chapter was brought to you by: Glaives cause their so freaken awesome

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**Chyaputa 16: Protector of the Sanctuary**

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The room that met the group at the bottom of the stone steps was cool, unlike the scorching desert climate above. The smell of dirt filled their noses. Torches were burning around the circular cave's walls but besides that there was nothing out of the ordinary, not even a doorway or a shrine around the cold dirt walls. The group stopped at the dead end, looking around thoroughly puzzled.

/This is a temple/ Yami no Yugi commented skeptically.

"There's nothing here…" Yugi said, peering curiously through the darkness.

/Well…/ Yami no Malik growled irritably, deadly eyes darting from one side of the empty room to the other. /Didn't you say that there was dark power here? I don't see anything, Bakura/ Yami no Bakura stared at the dirt wall in front of him, dark eyes blank and unmoved. /Hey/ Yami no Malik stepped in front of the white haired soul, insanely unstable eyes glowing fiercely. /Didn't you say there was a way to get my body back in here! I'm talking to you/ Yami no Bakura scoffed, looking uninterestingly at the dark soul and continued not to answer.

"Who comes into my temple?" an ominous low voice suddenly spoke from the shadows behind them. Everyone turned to see a man melting out of darkness. With his white linen cloak and matching turban one could easily pass the man on street and not think twice but it was his eyes that stood out. Like cold round stones staring lifelessly out of his bronze face, they swept across the room sending shivers down the visitors' spines. "Those who trespass into the sanctuary of darkness must be tested."

/Who are you/ Yami no Yugi demanded turning suspiciously upon the newcomer.

"I am a servant of Osiris, the guardian of the dark power," he answered, voice deep. "If you prove worthy, I shall give you what you seek."

/The dark power, huh/ Yami no Malik mused, tongue hanging out of his mouth excitedly. /And what if I just take it from you now/

"That would be impossible," the man answered, voice continuing in its monotonous tone. "You cannot attack me." Yami no Malik chuckled wickedly at this challenge.

/We'll see about that/ he snarled facing his opened palm toward the man, collecting a ball of shadow power in his hand. But before he had the chance to strike, the air around them lurched like a sudden altitude drop, everyone in the room except for the guardian stumbled. The mysterious man in front of them shimmered and then dissolved away like colored smoke.

"We shall now begin the game…" the man's voice echoed through the stone chamber as his body disappeared. There was another lurch and the floor underneath Yugi's feet suddenly vanished and the group fell down into a dark seemingly endless tunnel. In the air beside him, Yami no Yugi was falling as well, his form suddenly effected by the laws of gravity. Their eyes met as they continued to drop downward in a rushing speed and flashes of color.

Then suddenly it all became still.

It took a few moments for Yugi to even realize that he had stopped falling. He found himself face down in grass, the odor of decaying plant matter filling his nostrils. He pulled himself up off the ground and was surprised to see trees all around him. But as Yugi looked harder, he saw that all the trees looked exactly the same. They were all the same height, same distance apart, same width around the trunk. They looked oddly artificial like he was in a video game world or something. There was a groan beside him and Yugi looked to see his darker side lying upon the ground, his body solid and nontransparent.

"Mou hitori no boku," Yugi said in awe, mouth dropping open. "Your body… you- you have one!" he exclaimed. His darker side got up, scratching his head, flicking bits of grass out of his black and red locks.

"Yes, but how?" he asked, his voice was normal sounding, no longer spoken through his lighter half's mind. The others around the circle were also gradually pulling themselves off the ground. Ryou was staring in amazement at his solid pale hands as if he had never seen them before. Yami no Malik looked a little too pleased to have a body of his own again, eyes widening, unbelievable glee filling his twisted face, veins pulsing at the sides of his forehead.

"I don't get it?" Malik said looking around at the place they had landed in. "Didn't we fall down or something? Are we outside? Where are we?"

"It's an illusion," Yami no Bakura growled, already standing up and glaring angrily up at the sky.

"_I believe you all know the drill. This is a game, Yami no game,"_ the voice of the man rumbled and echoed loudly through the woods like thunder.

"Yami no game!" Yami no Yugi exclaimed, finally standing up.

"Where have you taken us?" Yugi shouted up at the sky.

"_The world that I have brought you to is an illusion of my creation, but your bodies won't be able to tell the difference. If you are hurt or seriously injured to the extent of death in this world, your bodies in the real world will take the damage,"_ he explained.

"What!" Yami no Yugi, Ryou and Yugi exclaimed. Malik looked at the sky horrified. Yami no Bakura's eyes widened in shock, even this news took him by surprise.

"_You will be paired into teams with your corresponding light or dark halves,"_ the man continued casually. _"The goal of this game is to stay alive." _

"Stay alive!" Yugi cried glancing towards his fellow teammates, frantically.

"But if we die in this world, then we'll really…" Ryou gulped, face growing, if possible, paler.

"Are you saying my survival depends on _him_?" Malik gaped horrorstruck. Yami no Malik merely looked mildly irritated.

"_If the lighter half on your team dies then both members of that body will die. If the dark soul is killed in this game it is only he whose soul will be consumed by the darkness."_ Ryou and Malik both looked to their dark sides fearfully.

"What kind of game are you trying to pull here!" Yami no Bakura spat venomously.

"You bastard! We will not be intimidated by you!" Yami no Yugi shouted, intense glowing red eyes narrowing angrily. "We'll survive anything you throw at us!"

"_What makes you think you'll be fighting me?"_ the voice asked mildly. A loud snap echoed from above and a series of heavy objects flew into the ground, wobbling slightly as their blades ran through the earth. Yugi opened his eyes to see three swords driven into the ground in front of his feet. On the other side of the clearing, two long staffs stuck out of the ground near where Bakura stood. Yami no Malik grinned as he grabbed a fist-full of throwing knives out of a nearby tree.

"You want us…" Yugi gaped, eyes wide.

"…To kill _each other_?" Ryou gaped in terror, hands clutching his pale face.

"_Only the worthy shall rise victorious, all teams that fail will be consumed by darkness. Let the game begin,"_ the disembodied voice announced tauntingly.

"Well, well, well," Yami no Malik mused wickedly, glazing almost dreamily at collection of knives in his hand. "I have always wanted to get that ugly pompous smirk off your face." His gaze drifted over to Yami no Bakura. The white haired demon grabbed a hold of his staff and pulled it out from the ground, reliving a foot and a half long curved blade at the end of it. He pulled the heavy object towards himself and stood at the ready waiting for Malik's attack.

"Wait, Malik, Bakura!" Yugi cried desperately stepping forward, hands shaky. "We don't even know what's going on yet! Let's talk about-"

Yami Malik scoffed and threw two knives, not at Yami no Bakura but at Ryou, who was still sitting on the ground unable to block. Yami no Bakura cursed and grabbed a hold of his lighter half's arm and yanked him out the way just in time. Ryou was trembling like mad behind him; brown eyes growing round with fear.

"Bakura-kun!" Yugi cried, but as he stepped forward Yami Malik dashed towards him, three well placed knives in hand. Yami no Yugi pulled Yugi out of the way and stepped in front of him, sword at the ready.

There was a loud metal on metal clang and both fighters fell apart, each toward their respective lighter halves. All of the three dark sides, weapons in hand, stared down each other in turn, waiting for someone to make the first move.

_Mou hitori no boku we can't do this! _Yugi cried, voice echoing shrilly in Yami no Yugi's mind. _We can't kill Bakura-kun and Malik-kun! _Yami no Yugi grunted in frustration, still facing his bloodthirsty foes.

_Then what do you expect me to do, aibou?_ he questioned, frustrated.

Out of the corner of his eye, Yami no Bakura saw his lighter half crouching on the ground, body too stunned to move. He cursed silently.

'This is bad,' he thought angrily, glaring at Yami no Malik across the circle. 'Yadonushi's in no state to be fighting. I can't protect him like this! I need a strategy…' While Yami no Malik's eyes were on Yami no Yugi, Yami no Bakura twisted around and grabbed his lighter half around the middle, turning back to the group just in time to dodge another knife flying towards his face. Then he sped out of the clearing as fast as he possibly could, his lighter half clinging terrified to his back.

"Coward!" Yami no Malik shrieked sprinting after him, flashing knives in hand. "You can't run away from me!"

"Malik!" Yami no Yugi cried calling his attention. Yami no Malik turned to see Yami no Yugi smirking as he held his sword point under Malik's lighter half's chin. "You sure you want to leave?" he taunted.

"Mou hitori no boku!" Yugi shouted pulling on his darker half's arm. "You can't hurt Malik!" Yami no Malik grinned broadly, pale eyes glowing.

"That's right, you can't," he chuckled casually, his body relaxing. "Even as your life depends upon it, you can't kill my weaker half. You've grown too soft." Yami no Yugi's mouth snarled.

"Let's just go, okay? Let's just go!" Yugi urged, tugging on his darker half's arm. Malik looked up at Yami no Yugi, face pale in cold gripping terror. Yami no Malik grinned mockingly, walking forward, a knife rolling easily around in his fingers. "Mou hitori no boku!" Yugi cried painfully.

Yami no Yugi pulled the sword away from Malik's neck and grabbed Yugi around the shoulders.

_Run aibou! I'll catch up! _he cried in Yugi's mind.

"No! I'm not leaving you here!" Yugi exclaimed determinedly, grabbing the two remaining swords from the ground and unsheathing them, ready for attack.

Yami no Malik chuckled cruelly at this display. "_You're_ going to fight?" he laughed degradingly.

_Aibou, you have to run, I'll slow him down so you can get away! _

"I can't do that!" Yugi screamed. Yami no Malik grinned took a swing at Yugi's chest. Yami no Yugi jumped in front of him and blocked the attack with his sword.

_Trust me, aibou! Go now! _he demanded firmly.

"No! I can fight too!" he cried desperately. Yami no Yugi's eyes shot between his lighter half and Yami no Malik fearfully. Yami no Malik, seeing his opportunity, dove for Yami Yugi's throat. Yami no Yugi was caught off guard, unable to block.

Suddenly the light side of Malik jumped up from the ground and tackled his darker half to the ground.

"GET OFF ME!" Yami no Malik screamed and punched Malik hard in the face, but Malik refused to let go, nails digging into the flesh of the dark soul's arm which was holding the knives. Yami no Yugi grabbed Yugi's shoulder frantically.

"Come on!" he cried, pulling his light side away from the two Maliks. Yugi turned and sprinted away as fast as his legs could carry him, Yami no Yugi running at his side. There was a roar of frustration from Yami no Malik behind them. Yugi looked back nervously over his shoulder as he ran.

"Don't worry about Malik, aibou," Yami no Yugi reassured him. "His dark side can't hurt him, remember?" Yugi nodded uncertainly.

'But I'm sure there are lots of other things Yami no Malik could do to him,' Yugi thought, looking regretfully back the way they had come.

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It seemed like Bakura Ryou had been sitting there in that tree for hours, but since the sun never went down and the world they were in never changed it was impossible to tell if time actually did go by.

'No wind, no birds, no sun,' he thought downheartedly, staring up at the blank gray sky, lying like a formless sheet over their world. 'Its so creepy.' He looked down at his watch out of habit. He had noticed a while ago that the numbers on his digital watch didn't change. 'If in this world no time is passing then our real bodies in the real world won't grow hungry so we could stay here forever…' He looked around at the broken down tree house again. His dark side had found this place when we they had run away from Yugi and the others, it was little more then a small wooden platform in a tree but it kept them concealed from anyone who might pass by.

Ryou nervously tugged a stray lock of snow-white hair, brown eyes falling on his darker half, sitting in the shadows underneath the tree on the opposite side of the platform. His arms crossed tightly over his chest, scowling angrily at the air in front of him.

'What are we supposed to do anyway?' Ryou thought desperately turning his gaze away again. 'I can't fight Yugi-kun or Malik-kun… but…' A horrible vision of his darker side viciously ripping apart his friends' bodies came to him. Ryou felt cold sick sweat dripping off his skin. 'What am I supposed to do if it comes to that?' he cried silently, squeezing his eyes shut, trying to cut off that horrifying image.

There was a noise behind him and Ryou turned to see his dark side standing up. He turned, eyes hard and firm as though he had come to a decision. Ryou's stomach lurched unpleasantly as the dark spirit walked towards him.

"I'm leaving," he said shortly, looking Ryou right into the eyes.

"W-where are you going?" Ryou asked standing up as well, voice trembling. This was the first direct contact with the spirit he had had thus far.

"I'm going to scout for the location of the others," Yami no Bakura answered sharply, turning away and picking up both glaives that were leaning against the tree. "You stay here," he ordered. Ryou's limbs shook.

"By myself…?" he choked, head spinning, confusion mixing up his thoughts.

"Yep," Yami no Bakura answered sharply, shoving one of the weapons into his lighter half's hand. Ryou almost dropped it in his bewilderment.

"I can't- I don't even know how to fight. What if someone comes by?" he protested, sweating hands slipping on their hold on the heavy spear.

"I'll hear you," Yami no Bakura answered, tapping his forehead knowledgeably hinting at their mind link.

"Could I… come with you?" Ryou found himself saying. There was a pause, his darker half wasn't even facing him.

"You'll get in the way," Yami no Bakura commented shortly and Ryou despite his fear-constricted heart, he could not find the strength to protest. "Besides you'll be much safer here than with me. Just call for me if you hear anyone coming then hold them off until I arrive."

'What if you're too late?' Ryou asked silently, biting his tongue to keep himself from talking. Yami no Bakura finally turned and saw fear filling the lighter half's eyes. He sighed in frustration, leaning on his weapon almost casually.

"You asked too many questions. Why don't you figure stuff out on your own?" the dark spirit snapped coldly. Ryou bowed his head shamefully. Yami no Bakura's scowl deepened. "Just kept your weapon between you and your enemy," he advised in an annoyed tone and then swung off their concealed platform onto a branch and then dropped to the ground dashing off into the forest through the shadows of the trees.

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This had to be hell; there was no other explanation. Malik took in loud harsh gasps as he struggled to get oxygen through the wad of cloth clogging up his mouth and throat. The ropes that his darker side had unfortunately found under one of the many trees, bit into the skin around his wrists and ankles. He had been mercilessly tied up and then dropped at the very back of a dark sunken cave. He struggled and kicked to get to the entrance and escape but his darker side had tied the ropes attached to his body to a rock at the bottom of the cave. After a while Malik gave up. He lay against the dirt floor of the cave, heart pounding.

'Damn it! He knows that if I had the chance I'd kill him,' he thought bitterly, eyes gazing at the unreachable entrance longingly. 'And if he had the same chance, he'd probably kill me as well.' The ropes had rubbed his skin raw; it hurt to struggle anymore. 'If only I could run away… I could run to Bakura and he'd do it for me, right?' Immeasurable hate burned in Malik but it wasn't enough to cut the ropes binding him to that cave. His eyes watered in his helplessness. 'Will I ever be able to escape him?'

"Comfortable?" a deep voice growled mockingly from the entrance above, Yami no Malik's pale eyes glowing with excitement. Malik scuttled as far away from his darker side as possible. Like a spider, Yami no Malik crawled down next to his lighter half. Malik tried to kick him as he came down but Yami no Malik dodging his foot as it came flying at him. He chuckled.

"Still struggling?" he mused, "You'll have to forgive me for tying you up like this but I can't have you running around getting in my way, like you did last time…" His eyes fell on the raw skin underneath the ropes. "You're damaging yourself. You know how much I hate that," his voice became very harsh, eyes flickering over Malik's form. He leaned forward. Malik pulled back against the wall of the cave shivering. Yami no Malik's face was hovering over his lighter half's. It made Malik sick, looking into those eyes.

"Do you really hate me that much?" he asked, cold features softening, his voice sounding almost sincere. Malik gave a start at this sudden mood change. Yami no Malik grinned madly, returning to old self. He laughed, voice rising in pitch, the sound hurting Malik's ears.

"Don't worry, my weaker half, it won't be long now," his long claw-like fingers reached for Malik's face. Malik flinched as their cool tips dragged across his skin. A far off look was in Yami no Malik's eyes as he petted Malik's platinum blonde hair; curling pale off-white locks around his dark fingers almost tenderly. "Soon I'll kill the others and then the dark power will be ours."

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"What do we do now?" Yami no Yugi asked his light side. They were both sitting at the foot of a tree, almost side by side but Yugi wasn't paying his darker half any attention. His purple eyes wandered over the thin clump of bushes that barely managed to conceal them from the outside world. "Aibou?" Yami no Yugi waved a hand in front of Yugi's face to get his attention. Yugi turned to glare at him, round eyes suddenly narrowed. "What's wrong, aibou?" his darker half asked slightly taken aback.

"You asked me to leave you," Yugi accused sharply. "You told me to run away and leave you there."

"I thought it was the best solution," Yami no Yugi protested awkwardly. "After all if you had died both of us would have-"

"That's not the point!" Yugi cried, fists balling at his sides. "If you had died then I would have died too! Even if wasn't right away, someone like Yami no Bakura or Yami no Malik would have come along and killed me sooner or later. We can't survive this game unless we stay together."

"But…" his darker half lowered his gaze. "If you died, I could never forgive myself…" Yugi's expression softened slightly; his tense hands relaxed

"But I can fight too. I can protect you when you protect me," Yugi insisted firmly. He placed a comforting soft hand over his darker half's. "Besides if you died… I'd have nothing to live for," Yugi added nervously. Yami no Yugi lifted his dark red eyes making contact with Yugi's purple ones. Yugi suddenly forgot to breathe, his throat didn't seem to be working. He was hypnotized by his darker side's stare.

It was the first time Yugi noticed how close he and darker half were sitting and how smooth Yami no Yugi's solid skin looked in the artificial light.

"Its weird…" Yugi said truthfully, looking down and picking up Yami no Yugi's hand, running his fingers curiously over Yami no Yugi's knuckles. "You finally having your own body, even though it's just an illusion," Yugi mumbled, insides squirming. His darker side grinned nervously.

"Yeah, it's a little weird…" he agreed. He put his other hand over Yugi's, entwining their fingers around each other. Yugi looked up; his head was spinning. One moment of stillness.

Suddenly there was a noise outside of their hiding place. Both pairs of hands recoiled suddenly as their owners turned toward the entrance, their precious connection broken. Yami no Yugi stood up and pulled out the sword that was hanging from his belt and stepped cautiously out between the bushes into the unprotected forest. Yugi followed a few steps behind him, also with a sword in his hand. There was silence all around them. Dark red suspicious eyes scanned their surroundings.

"Look," Yugi said walking forward. Yami no Yugi rushed to his aibou's side in case any shadowy characters were waiting to attack him. Yugi leaned over and picked up a coil of rope on the ground. "This wasn't here when we arrived, was it?"

"I don't remember it being there, I think we would have seen it," Yami no Yugi answered eyeing the rope skeptically.

"Maybe the guy who brought us here is trying to give us more weapons," Yugi suggested. "He wants to give us the prefect opportunity to kill each other, any means necessary."

"So, he's probably giving the others more supplies too," Yami no Yugi concluded walking back to the clump of bushes again. Yugi followed him but just as Yami no Yugi was about to step back into their hiding place, something shot out of the brushes, aimed right at Yugi.

"AIBOU!" His dark side cried and jumped forward, but he couldn't reach his lighter half in time. The thing tackled Yugi and held the end of a foot and a half long blade next to the pale skin at Yugi's throat. Yugi gulped but did not move.

"B-Bakura-kun," Yugi choked, neck stretched trying to move away from the blade. The white haired demon grinned triumphantly.

"What now, all mighty one?" Yami no Bakura growled, voice low, dark eyes dancing. "I hold your life and the life of your precious partner in my hands." Yami no Yugi's body went rigid, eyes wide with despair.

'Not aibou, not aibou…' repeated itself a hundred times in his brain.

"Let him go, Bakura! Don't you dare touch him!" Yami no Yugi pleaded desperately. Yami no Bakura's grin widened and he laughed shrilly, always keeping his eyes on the other dark soul in case he tried to suddenly attack.

"I want you to remember this," Yami no Bakura snarled, the smile suddenly disappearing from his face, his expression hardening. "I want you to remember how it feels for me to have your life in my control. That if my hand accidentally slips only an inch the shadows will consume you." Yami Yugi's hands trembled. There was no doubt in Yami no Yugi's mind that Yami no Bakura would do it, he was really going to kill them both.

He was going to kill Yugi.

Then, when hopelessness seemed certain, Yami no Bakura smirked and pulled the blade away from Yugi's neck and shoved him right into Yami no Yugi's arms. Yami no Yugi desperately clutched his lighter half to his chest, pulling his aibou closer so they would never have to let go. Yugi hugged him fiercely back, pressing his face into Yami no Yugi's shoulder.

Yami no Bakura waited not so patiently for a couple of seconds, glaring irritably at the pair of them.

"I'm _still_ here, you know," he reminded the two with a snarl. Yugi and his dark side pulled away from each other, both their faces slightly pink.

"Why did you do that, Bakura-kun?" Yugi asked finally, his darker side still holding onto Yugi's shoulders protectively.

"To prove a point," Yami no Bakura answered harshly. "To show you that I can kill you at any moment I want." Yami no Yugi took another step closer to his lighter half. "But I won't."

"Why?" Yami no Yugi snapped. "Are you planning on using us to get Malik first and then kill us off!" Yami no Bakura glared at Yami no Yugi mildly as though he pitied the other spirit for being too impulsive to understand his reasoning.

"Actually, I was planning on a truce. A partnership between our two groups," he explained more to Yugi than to his darker half.

"We'll all have to kill each other sooner or later. Why make a truce now?" Yami no Yugi questioned skeptically. Yami no Bakura scoffed.

"You don't understand it, do you? Remember what the guy said before? This is a _game_. Our opponents aren't each other, it's the guy who put us here," Bakura explained coldly, eyes bored as though this were the obvious answer.

"What do you mean?" Yugi asked, voice raising hopefully.

"I believe that if all three teams work together there is a way to break this illusion," Yami no Bakura explained.

"Doesn't that seem a little too easy?" Yami no Yugi asked, even more suspiciously. Yami no Bakura shrugged.

"Well, you can always try your luck on your own," he suggested casually. "I'm not going to stop you. Of course you two on your own aren't strong enough to fight Yami no Malik and if given the opportunity you probably wouldn't even be able to kill him either. " Yugi bent his head slightly. "My host is also not in good very condition," Yami no Bakura admitted irritated. "He's weak. He can't even protect himself." Yugi shivered, Yami no Bakura spoke of Ryou as though he were an unneeded asset. Yami no Yugi had noticed this too and his eyes narrowed. "So will you agree to this truce?" he put out a hand towards Yami Yugi. The darker Yugi looked at his lighter half. Yugi nodded encouragingly.

_What else can we do? This is our best chance of survival_, Yugi said logically.

_But Bakura could turn on us at any moment_, Yami no Yugi protested.

_If he wanted to kill us he would have done so before hand_. Yami no Yugi frowned. _Come on, there's safety in numbers._ Yami no Yugi looked down at his lighter half, an indescribable intense look in his eyes. Yugi's insides shook again.

_I don't want to lose you, _Yami no Yugi admitted pleadingly, his mind voice surprisingly soft. Yugi took a hold of his arm.

_You won't, _he insisted firmly. Yami Yugi smiled; the gesture made Yugi suddenly light headed. The darker half turned to Bakura.

"We'll agree but on only one condition, that you won't make a move without discussing it with us first and we _all_ decided on it," Yami no Yugi demanded. Yami no Bakura groaned and looked quite irritated at this compromise.

"Fine," he snarled reluctantly. Yami put out a hand to seal the deal. Yami no Bakura reached forward to take it when his body suddenly froze, then suddenly went rigid. There was a second of pause before Bakura's head snapped around as though he had just heard something far away.

"Bakura-kun?" Yugi asked concerned. "What's wrong?"

"Yadonushi…" Bakura hissed and without another word, sped off in the opposite direction. Yugi looked at his darker side fearfully.

"You don't think Bakura left the other Bakura all alone, do you?" Yugi asked.

"He might have had no choice," Yami no Yugi said picking up his sword and sliding it through his belt. "Come on, he might need our help."

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Anyone catch how I cleverly made it so I don't have to use dashes anymore? Go me.

I'm getting lazy. From this point onward Ryou will just be called Ryou. Every time I type Bakura I always assume I'm talking about Yami Bakura so even I get confused (its cause I read too many fanfictions) and authors getting confused at their own stories is not a good thing.

Glaives? I didn't just make them up I swear. Any of you people have/played a Soul Caliber game? Song Mina has a glaive only it called a Zanbatou which is the same name of the weapon Sanosuke has in the beginning of Ruroni Kenshin only its a giant sword. Anyway when I first heard ofthem they were called a glaives so deal with it.

Can you tell why I like this chapter? What's that? The darker halves don't like their hikaris? Well TOO BAD! (shoves pairs together) This way Yami Bakura and Yami Malik HAVE to care about their lighter halves! Mwahahahahahahahaha!

I am such a genius.

MALIK IS SO COOL!

Next chapter: LOOK OUT! NOOOOOO! NOT RYOU! What the hell is THAT? Oh shit, its ANGST!

I LOVE MY REVIEWER PEOPLE!

You guys are so cool. I truly mean that! You're my motivation, my hope, MY LIGHT AT THE END OF MY TUNNEL, MY CREAM IN MY COFFEE! (actually I'm not so good with coffee but whocares)

SO BE COOL

AND** REVIEW!**

**REVIEW! **


	17. Fear from the Darkness

Uck, I've been sick all week, I feel awful. cough, hack, cough I've been so freaking busy with school work, this year sucks. I haven't written anything all week! (gasp) The sickness started last weekend so I was too drugged up on medication to feel comfortable about updating. Sorry for all you wonder readers who had to wait. I apologize profusely.

More tension this chapter, EE! Can't look! But you can!

READ! I COMAND YOU!

This chapter brought to you by the fact that I am not a first aid specialist! GO ME!

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**Chyaputa 17: Fear from the Darkness**

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Ryou tugged nervously at a stray a lock of snow-white hair again, harder this time to keep himself awake. He forced his tired brown eyes to search the artificial forest around him, waiting for an attack. 'He couldn't have gone that far…' he thought, his pale hands tightened their sweaty grip on the glaive in his hands. 'He wouldn't just leave me here,' Ryou thought desperately. He really, really wanted to go to sleep.

There was a sound behind him, a snap of a twig. Ryou swung around, clumsily pulling the heavy spear with him and pointing the long sharp blade out in front of him, breathing heavily. There wasn't anything to be seen. Ryou lowered the weapon slowly. Had it been a bird or some other animal? But then Ryou remembered, there were no animals in this world…

"Why hello. Just the person I wanted to see," a dangerously low voice purred. Ryou pulled his weapon up over his face just in time to block the attack. The blade of a knife dug itself into the wood of Ryou's heavy spear. Ryou looked up fearfully to see Yami no Malik's dark twisted face leering down at him. Ryou's body froze.

"What are you doing here all alone? Your dark side gone for a little walk?" Yami no Malik made a disapproving clucking sound in his throat leaning closer, a maniac smile on his face. "How very careless of him." Ryou jumped back, pulling Malik's knife out from his weapon and falling against the trunk of the tree. He held up the glaive, eyes wide, afraid to blink in case the madman tried to attack again. Ryou's whole body was shaking.

'I'm going to die,' he thought numbly. Then suddenly he remembered what his darker half told him. 'Mou hitori no boku! Mou hitori no boku! Help me!' he screamed in his mind, closing his eyes in concentration. There was the swish of something flying through the air and Ryou jumped to the side just as Yami no Malik dived for his throat. The blade ended up cutting open a gash in his cheek. Ryou cried out in pain and ran towards the edge of the platform, hoping to jump off the side and escape from the platform; maybe he could lose Yami no Malik in the forest.

Yami no Malik laughed at this stunt.

"Running away! Weakling!" he cried and cut Ryou off by sliding in front of him. "There is no one to save you now," he hissed humorously, pale eyes gleaming. Ryou stumbled backward toward the tree, scared completely out of his wits, all hope and rational thought leaving him. Yami no Malik licked his lips grotesquely. "Oh, I shall enjoy this."

Without thinking Ryou grasped the glaive with both hands and in his desperation swung it madly at Yami no Malik. Yami no Malik smirked as his stroke went wide and ducked easily under his blow. Straightening up as Ryou slowly recovered from his heavy weapon's aftershock, Malik stabbed forward aiming for Ryou's unprotected side. Ryou moved just in time to stop the strike with his arm. Malik's blade drew a deep long bloody cut across the top of Ryou's arm.

Ryou had never felt so much physical pain in his life. He fell backward on to the floor crying out, his own voice scratching his throat raw. His weapon fell with a crash to the ground making the thin wooden platform wobble. He looked down at his bleeding arm, head dizzy with the smell of his own blood. Yami no Malik giggled insanely as he approached his victim, three knives well placed in his out stretched hands.

"How do you like that?" he mused, eyes dancing as Ryou writhed on the floor. "Painful?" Ryou scuttled away from him, leaving a trail of blood on the wooden tree house floor. Yami no Malik laughed again, high pitched and shrill.

At that moment, a mass of white hurtled itself over the edge of the platform and dove squarely for Yami no Malik. Yami no Bakura tackled him, bringing down the blunt end of his heavy glaive right on top of Malik's chest. Ryou could have sworn he had heard a sickening crack. Yami no Malik stumbled backwards, trying desperately to get air into his lungs, white eyes seemingly popping out of their sockets. Yami no Bakura stood protectively in front of his host, weapon ready for another attack.

"Bakura-kun!" a smaller voice cried from below as Yugi and his dark side approached the hidden tree house. "Are you okay?" Yugi called from the ground. Ryou was still in too much shock to reply, his jaw trembling and his head still quite dizzy.

Yami no Malik's panicked eyes flickered onto the new arrivals and he cursed harshly under his breath. Seeing he was finally outnumbered, he stepped back off the platform, landed on the ground and scampered off into the woods. Yami no Yugi was about to follow him when Yugi grabbed his arm.

"Ryou-kun?" he cried climbing up into the tree. Yami Yugi looked after Yami no Malik's empty trail, sighed and then climbed into the tree as well. As Yugi finally reached the platform, he ran towards Ryou lying upon the wooden floor, blood flowing rapidly from his wound. Yami no Bakura was hunched over his lighter half, examining the limp arm. "Oh, Bakura-kun…" Yugi moaned, grasping his friend's other hand.

"How bad is it?" Yami no Yugi asked as he climbed onto the platform.

"Its pretty deep," Yami no Bakura said voice stiff. Ryou made a choked whimpering noise in his throat as Yami no Bakura traced the wound with a finger. The grip he had on Yugi's hand tightened.

"What do we do?" Yugi asked fearfully.

"We're going to have to put a tight bandage on his arm with enough pressure on the wound to stop the bleeding," Yami no Bakura instructed. "He's already lost a lot of blood. Give me your jacket," Yami no Bakura ordered Yami no Yugi harshly. The other dark personality gave up his garment and handed it to Yami no Bakura.

(-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-)

It had been a while since Malik had heard from his darker half. He had tried to break the ropes binding his hands together by repetitively rubbing them on the surface of a rough rock a few feet away but this had only been successful at making his wrists hurt worse.

Inevitably footsteps were heard outside the cave but they were uneven and not nearly as concealed as they had been before.

Sure enough Malik's darker side entered the cave but he was clutching his chest and it looked as though it was painful for him to breathe. He slid down into the cave, sweat pouring down his face. Malik stared in shock. Had his darker side been injured? It looked like it. Yami no Malik turned and grinned wickedly through the pain.

"Don't worry, main personality, this is nothing compared to what I gave that white haired bastard's host," he sneered.

'Ryou…?' Malik thought horrified.

Rage boiling up inside him once again, Malik aimed a kick at his darker half. Yami no Malik grabbed his foot before it could reach him but winced slightly as he caught it. Malik, seeing his chance, kicked him with the other foot. This one hit Yami no Malik in the square in the face, but the action only made Yami no Malik angry. The darkness reached forward, grabbed Malik by the neck and slammed his head back against the dirt wall. Yami no Malik climbed on top of Malik, no longer grinning but his sharp teeth bared painfully. Malik was forced down into the dirt, sharp rocks digging into his back.

"So that's what it is? You're suddenly worried now that your precious little _Ryou_ is in danger? Is that it?" Yami no Malik snarled in disgust.

'What?' Malik thought confused. 'Precious…? What is he talking about?'

"Were you not even worried about me?" Yami no Malik spat nastily. "I'm your only chance of survival! I'm protecting you! Without me you wouldn't have a chance of living through this battle!" His voice was harsh and painful against Malik's ears. Malik kicked his legs uselessly and screamed into his gag, refusing to look at the creature sitting on top of him. Yami no Malik grabbed his lighter half's head and forced it to look at him. "You have something to say to me, weak half?" he growled and to Malik's surprise, he tore off Malik's gag. "Go ahead, say it…" he hissed.

Malik shot a dirty at his darker half, took a deep clean breath then opened his mouth wide and screamed at the top of him lungs, voice echoing dulling on the walls of the cave and out into the forest. Yami no Malik, still sitting on top of him, put a hand over his mouth to stop him. Malik bit it, digging his teeth into his darker half's skin. Yami no Malik screeched and yanked his hand away from the original personality's mouth.

"I don't care what I have to do! I'll do whatever it takes to kill you! I hope Yami no Bakura slices you in half! I hope you die!" Malik screamed, struggling to breathe cause Yami no Malik was still on top of his ribs.

To Malik's shock, his darker side grinned. It was a weird sort of grin too, still malicious and full of evil intent but different somehow. It felt like a cold nail was being dragged up Malik's spine. Yami no Malik leaned forward, too far forward; Malik was breathing in his sour breath. Malik could feel parts of Yami no Malik's body he wished he'd never have to feel again.

"You shouldn't talk that way, weak half," Yami no Malik hissed bitterly-sweet into his light's ear, his whole body couching down upon him, pressing into him. "Your words have always been sharp and cold but empty. You do not act upon what you speak," his voice was low and harsh, lips brushed Malik's ear as he talked. "I know you. I know you better than anyone, more than anyone ever will…"

Sharp teeth bit into Malik's soft earlobe.

Panicking, Malik tried to pull his head away, to throw his darker side off and to escape but it was futile. Yami no Malik grabbed his light's head, eyes flashing insanely and forced his mouth upon Malik's. Malik went rigid in utter shock, giving his darker half the chance to drive his tongue deep into Malik mouth, sliding sickly over Malik's own. Yami no Malik's sharp teeth were biting into the side of Malik's cheek. Malik began to struggle hopelessly again. He couldn't breath, his darker side was smothering him, his tongue clogging up the back of Malik's throat.

His mind muddled by fear, Malik couldn't think of anything else and clamped his jaws on Yami no Malik's tongue, biting it hard until it bled. Yami no Malik cried out in pain and smacked Malik hard on the side of his head, making him let go.

"You little _fucker_!" Yami no Malik shrieked, spitting blood from his bleeding tongue.

"You sick bastard!" Malik cried angrily. "I hope you die! I hope Bakura murders you!"

"No one can kill me, main personality," Yami no Malik hissed. "Even the powers of those other two dark halves are useless. We'll live together, _forever_, once I control the dark power."

"I'd rather kill myself than live forever with you!" Malik spat hatefully. "I'll bury you in the dark with me!" Malik snapped, violet eyes glowing fiercely. "I'll kill you myself!"

Yami no Malik stared in horror at his light, as stunned as though he had just been struck in the heart.

"Kill… yourself?" Yami no Malik's face twisted painfully, sickly, as though this concept was beyond his understanding. "Didn't I tell you, weak personality? Don't say things you can't follow up on," Yami no Malik spoke deathly, turned from his lighter half forcefully and tearing his eyes away from his hateful fierce stare. "Give up you're struggling and stay quiet."

Yami no Malik's pale dead expression suddenly widened. He clutched a hand to his stomach. Nausea was building up in his gut. He stumbled clumsily as fast as he could with his cracked ribs out of the cave. Leaning against a nearby tree, Yami no Malik emptied the contents of his stomach into its roots, muscles heaving and rippling painfully. Exhausted, he lowered himself to the ground, his legs too shaky to support himself.

"He wouldn't…" Yami no Malik muttered to himself, acidic breath escaping from his lips. "He wouldn't… I can't… we can't…"

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"Looks like he's finally asleep," Yugi breathed triumphantly, pulling some of Ryou's sweaty bangs away from his face. Yami no Bakura nodded mutely, not looking in their direction. He was sitting next to his unconscious host on the deck, his hands and shirt were smeared with blood. Ryou was lying on the wooden platform, breathing heavily in his tormented slumber, pale skin glowing with a feverish sweat and a large section of Yami no Yugi's jacket tied around his upper arm in a bloody bandage.

"His bandages will need changing soon," Yami no Bakura said, not looking at his host as he folded up his black leather overcoat into a pillow and placed it under his host's head. "Yugi, you'll need to prepare new bandages for us to use later when he needs it. Use this to make the next bandage," he said and handed the rest of the jacket to the shorter teen. Yugi nodded. "I need to talk to you," Yami no Bakura hissed to Yami no Yugi. Yugi's darker side nodded awkwardly and followed Yami no Bakura to the other side of the small platform.

"What do you want, Bakura?" Yami no Yugi questioned suspiciously.

"We need to get out of this game as soon as possible," Yami no Bakura said firmly, eyes sharp and serious.

"You're worried about your light?" Yami no Yugi asked, knowledgeably.

"I don't know what effect this illusion world will have on him," Yami no Bakura admitted. "His wound could get infected and damage his body in the real world."

'You mean your body,' Yami Yugi thought bitterly but he kept that comment to himself.

"Someone will need to scout out where Yami no Malik is hiding," Yami no Bakura continued. "He already knows where we are, we need to get one step ahead of him. He has to be storing the original Malik somewhere; he would have wanted to keep him out of his way. He'll also need somewhere to recover. I gave him at least two fractured ribs," Yami no Bakura explained, smirking. "Now's the best time to find his hideout."

"What then?" Yami no Yugi questioned. "Remember we've got Ryou to worry about now; he'll slow us down. And…" Yami no Yugi looked around and saw his light busy on the other side of the platform. "…I want to keep aibou out of danger, if it's possible," Yami no Yugi whispered very quietly. Yami no Bakura scowled.

"Your weak feelings will only make things harder," Yami no Bakura drawled, thoroughly annoyed.

Yami no Yugi glared at him. "Keep out of my business!" he snapped. Yami no Bakura scoffed.

"Like I care about your _intimate_ relationship with your host," Yami no Bakura said, rolling his eyes. Yami no Yugi's face grew hot, Yami no Bakura smirked.

"Shut up," Yami Yugi hissed, eyes darting nervously over to Yugi.

"I didn't say anything," Yami no Bakura taunted, still grinning cruelly. Yami no Yugi took a deep breath, trying to collect himself.

"What about this scheme of yours, Bakura?" Yami no Yugi challenged, changing the subject. "What do you plan to do after we find his hiding place?"

"We can't leave yadonushi and your light here, if that's what you're thinking. They'll be too venerable if Yami no Malik gets away from us and doubles back to this place. We'll have to bring them along where we can keep an eye on them." Yami no Bakura turned sharply to the other dark soul. "The only way to do this is to kill Yami no Malik," Yami no Bakura said frankly.

"I thought you said there was a way to get all of us out of this world, without killing each other?" Yami no Yugi accused suspiciously.

"There is, if we all cooperate and Yami no Malik is not one to cooperate with others," Yami no Bakura explained obviously. "He will try to kill us all for the fun of it."

"I will not kill him, Bakura," Yami no Yugi said darkly, eyes narrowing. "Yami no Malik has done no more evil than we have." Yami no Bakura's frown twitched.

"You must have realized it by now," Yami no Bakura said in a low tone so that the light side of Yugi couldn't over hear. "Yami no Malik is different than us."

"What are you talking about?" Yami no Yugi questioned, eyebrow wrinkling suspiciously.

"Yami no Malik knows nothing but power and wants nothing but destruction. He is an animal of impulse and greed, he does not plan and he strikes when convenient, without mercy or honor for his prey. He was born from a child's nightmares and the powers of darkness. He cannot comprehend real human emotions."

"And?" Yami no Yugi asked coolly, arms crossed suspiciously over his chest. "How is that different than us?" Yami no Bakura's dark brown eyes flashed, Yami no Yugi knew he was serious.

"When we arrived at Egypt, you noticed something, didn't you?" Yami no Bakura accused. "Something familiar?"

"I don't know," Yami no Yugi admitted carelessly. Now that he thought of it, he had been feeling weird ever since they arrived, as if a strange ache had reawakened in his stomach but it wasn't anything remarkable. "But what does that have to do with this, Bakura?"

"I've been thinking about it for a while now and… what if there's more to this dark power than we thought?" Yami no Bakura continued very seriously. "What if there's something more? Something deeper? Something _olde_r? Like we and this dark power are connected somehow." Yami no Yugi scowled. If that was the case, hadn't it been obvious from the start. After all people with split personalities didn't ever develop real powers.

"And how is that going to help us get out of this game?" Yami no Yugi asked sharply. "I don't know what this dark power is. I don't know even who I am or where I came from," he admitted truthfully. "And right now, I don't care as long as aibou gets out of here alive." Yami no Bakura was back to old self again in one cold emotionless scowl.

"Your feeble bonds will be the ruin of us," Yami no Bakura snapped. "We must kill Yami no Malik now while we have the chance and the easiest way is to go after Yami no Malik's weakness."

"Weakness?" Yami no Yugi wondered. "What do you mean?"

"Isn't it obvious!" Bakura hissed, "When we find the hideout, you can lure Yami no Malik out and away from the entrance then I'll sneak in and kill Malik, therefore killing them both." Yami no Yugi's eyes narrowed dramatically.

"No! There is no reason to kill him," Yami no Yugi snapped, steadfast. Yami no Bakura glared at his temporary ally.

"Don't be naïve!" he snapped harshly. "The easiest way to kill Yami no Malik is to execute his lighter half. It's the only way I can guarantee your precious partner's perfect health," he added, smirking evilly. Yami no Yugi's eyes hardened.

"I will not kill another person," he said stubbornly. "Aibou doesn't like it when I kill people." Yami no Bakura scowled deeply.

"No," a voice spoke behind the two dark souls. Yami no Yugi looked up to see Yugi suddenly walking over toward them. "We can't kill anyone! Not even Yami no Malik!" Yugi insisted urgently.

"Nothing has been decided yet, aibou," Yami no Yugi tried to explain.

"But you were planning it, weren't you?" Yugi asked looking from his dark side to Yami no Bakura. Yami no Yugi hesitated. "Didn't we decide no decision was going to made unless we all agree on it!"

"It's the best plan. Yami no Malik will not listen to reason. He will not help us get out of this world," Yami no Bakura pointed out seriously.

"Then we can capture him and make him listen," Yugi suggested. Yami no Bakura rolled his eyes exhaustingly.

"You are not listening! That won't work," Yami no Bakura spat nastily. "He'd rather see us all trapped in here forever than help. You're wasting your energy trying to save a shadow! Think about what would happen if we unleashed that animal onto the world with ten times the power he had before! He only wants to destroy; the world would be better off without him! Malik certainly would be…" Yami no Bakura added darkly.

"Isn't that's for Malik to decide?" a new voice spoke from the shadows of the tree. Yugi spun around and found Ryou, breathing heavily, clinging to the trunk of the tree for support.

"Ryou-kun!" Yugi cried and ran to his side. "You shouldn't be moving around." Ryou's feverish brown eyes stared right at his dark side, almost threateningly.

"How about a compromise then?" Ryou continued, letting Yugi help him onto the floor. "Let Malik decide weather to kill him or not, after all he's the one who will have to live him the rest of his life."

"I like that idea," Yugi agreed.

"I do as well," Yami no Yugi added, turning to Yami no Bakura, red eyes glinting. "Its up to you, mighty one?" he taunted. Yami no Bakura scowled hatefully at all three of them and tore his face away from his light side's stare.

"You are all weak!" he spat. Ryou's eyes would not move away from his darker side; Yami no Bakura could feel them watching him. "However it seems I have no choice but to consent, but remember," he turned his face back on Ryou, dark eyes sharp. "If Malik wants to kill him, none of you can stop him."

"Agreed," Yami no Yugi said gravely. Yugi nodded. Ryou remained silent, eyes drooping tiredly as if he was about to fall asleep. Yami no Bakura scowled. He stood up walked across the circle and took his light out of Yugi's arms.

"He needs rest," Yami no Bakura said shortly, picking Ryou up and helping him over to his sleeping space. Yugi and his dark side watched in confusion.

_That was weird, _Yami no Yugi said, a little unnerved. Yugi smiled.

_See. Bakura does care about his host, _Yugi pointed out as he watched Yami no Bakura lowered Ryou back down on the platform. Yami no Yugi frowned.

_He just doesn't want his precious body damaged when he gets back to the real world,_ Yami no Yugi insisted coldly. After he was sure his host was settled, Yami no Bakura stood up and looked over to the silently communicating pair.

"I'm going to look for Malik's hideout," Yami no Bakura said shortly then took one of his battle glaives and left, long white hair disappearing off into the trees. Yugi sighed and turned back to his dark side.

_Why can't you give Bakura a chance?_ Yugi asked. _He's trying to help us. _Yami no Yugi looked away.

_I just don't trust him,_ Yami no Yugi admitted sourly.Yugi looked thoughtful, eyes meeting his darker side's.

_Did Bakura say something to you?_ Yugi asked after a moment. Yami no Yugi looked away.

_It's nothing, _the dark soul insisted. Yugi stared at him intently but let the matter go. If his dark didn't want to tell him now, Yugi would wait. _I don't like this game_, Yami no Yugi admitted, glaring hatefully at the floor. _Too many people are suffering. And who knows what will happen once we get out of here. _He looked up at the unmoving gray artificial sky. _These illusions, this dark power, it only gets more confusing._

_But we have to continue,_ Yugi added gravely. _We can't go back now._

Yami no Yugi nodded solemnly in mute agreement.

(-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-)

The first initial shock of the wound had subsided but the pain still remained. It was hard enough for Ryou to sleep or to even keep still on the wooden platform with the pain in his arm but the light from the sun that never set also kept him awake. Drifting in and out of semi-unconsciousness, Ryou saw shadows of Yugi and his Yami talking silently in other side of the wooden floor. He's own darker side must have gone off for Ryou hadn't seen him for some time. It was a surprise for him, waking from a long restless doze, to find his darker half sitting right beside him.

"How are you sleeping?" Yami no Bakura asked, again not looking at his host.

"Badly," Ryou answered truthfully. The wooden boards were digging painfully into his back. Ryou tried to shift over to his side to get more comfortable and ended up putting pressure on his wound. Ryou gasped in pain and returned to his original position, back muscles screaming in protest.

"Stop trying to move," Yami no Bakura ordered harshly. "You'll re-open your wound." Ryou turned his head away from his darker side, jaw clenched. Stubborn silence followed. Ryou's face grimaced as he felt his muscles knot and complain.

"I need to sit up," Ryou said and began to raise himself on his good arm. Much to his surprise, Yami no Bakura leaned forward to help him. "I can handle it," Ryou protested weakly but Yami no Bakura ignored him and helped Ryou place his back up against the tree up. Ryou felt his vertebrae crack back into place. He sighed, muscles relaxing.

"You need to rest," Yami no Bakura said sternly.

"I can't sleep any more, I'm too uncomfortable." Yami no Bakura frowned but kept his silence. Ryou looked out over the platform. Yugi was in the corner, doozing in the shade of their tree. "Where's mou hitori no Yugi?"

"Looking for Malik's hideout," Yami no Bakura answered shortly. There was silence again. Neither one of them could think of anything to say to each other. Ryou sighed and gazed around at the repetitive scenery, looking anywhere except for where his dark side sat.

"Why do you think Malik won't want to kill his dark side?" Yami no Bakura asked suddenly. Ryou could read no emotion in his voice.

"Why do you think that he will?" Ryou asked tentatively, keeping his eyes firmly placed on his blue sneakers.

"Malik would have the chance to destroy his evil half forever," Yami no Bakura said sharply, almost accusingly. "The one who has been torturing him for his whole life. Who wouldn't kill their tormentor if they had the chance?" Ryou stared thoughtfully down at his shoes.

"Maybe Malik needs him," Ryou said cautiously. "Yami no Malik is an outlet for Malik's negative emotions. All of his anger, hate, and fear. Maybe some part of Malik wants to be reminded of that?" Yami no Bakura snorted, unbelievingly.

"Why would you need the reminder?" Yami no Bakura hissed. "Its ridiculous."

"To remember the bad things that happened to him in his life," Ryou suggested. "To remember where he came from." He looked up and was shocked to find his darker half staring at him with those cold emotionless almost black eyes. Ryou's stomach dropped and he immediately looked away. There was more silence.

At that exact moment, Yami no Yugi poked his head over the side of the platform.

"Did you find anything?" Yugi asked, getting up and walking over to the edge of the platform to help his dark side up.

"Yep," Yami no Yugi said. "I found their hiding place. It's a cave not too far from here."

Yami no Bakura stood up. "We should go." He turned to Ryou. "Can you walk?"

"I'll try," Ryou said and Yami no Bakura helped Ryou to his feet.

"Alright, we'll go in formation," Yami no Bakura said briskly, supporting Ryou with one arm. "Yami no Yugi, you go in front, show us the way and keep look out. I'll follow behind you. Yadonushi will be behind me and Yugi after him, okay?"

"Why am I in the back?" Yugi asked, feeling uneasy that he was so far away from his darker half. Yami no Yugi frowned for the same reason. Yami no Bakura scowled.

"If Yami no Malik, for some reason, attacks from behind, I don't want yadonushi to be there alone," Bakura explained. Yugi nodded reluctantly, nerves working their way up into Yugi's throat. Yami no Bakura handed a glaive to Ryou.

"Protect yourself if you need to, for now just use it to help you walk," Yami no Bakura instructed. Ryou nodded and took the weapon with shaky hands.

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YAY! Ryou and Bakura… avoiding eye contact! Its sign of true love.

Yami no Malik is a creepy creepy crazy man. Nuff said.

(cries) POOR RYOU-KUN! (blows nose) Least Bakura _has_ to pay attention to him now…

Next chapter! They go after Yami no Malik but the battle's not without causalities… (EEEEEEEEEEKK! (worries)) Malik and Yami no Malik need to have a little _talk_. This can not be good.

I might just go back to updating once every two weeks cause I'm real busy. But I won't forget about you guys I promise! (sends love)

Please **REVIEW**! Its quite easy, I promise you! Only take five seconds really, unless you want to write more, which I _completely_ encourage!

**REVIEW! **


	18. Attack and Receive

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! HOLY MOTHER OF SPICE CAKES! I was on this car trip for three days and guess how many pages of my new story I wrote? _TWENTY_! **_20_**! EEEEE! In only _THREE_ days! **_3_**! (jumps around in happiness)

My beta blood-relation yelled at me for my spelling mistakes again. Its not MY fault SHE never sends me back corrected copies! (grumbles darkly) (Actually I'm just mentioning this to see if she actually reads my chapters online, so no one tell her I wrote this) (secret, secret)

Why does no one like Yami no Malik? Oh well, I guess he's kind of a creep now. Hey! Yami no Malik didn't technically _rape_ Malik, it was just a freaken kiss god. Well, that and lying on top of him...

This chapter is brought to you by rope. It's very useful, as Yami no Malik has already found out, for tying down certain people… and not just in kinky ways.

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**Chyaputa 18: Attack and Receive**

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Yami no Yugi lead the group through the trees, bending low to the ground to kept himself concealed. They were nearing the place now, he knew it. He bent low behind a fake bush and looked over his shoulder to his companions. Yami no Bakura was right behind him, followed closely by Ryou, who was panting and wheezing as though he were about to pass out. Yugi was holding onto his shoulders, supporting the white haired teen as he walked. 

Yami no Yugi's insides clenched with worry. He didn't like being to far away from his light. He had a feeling Yami no Bakura had separated them on purpose.

"What are you waiting for?" Yami no Bakura hissed harshly, his voice hardly a whisper. Yami no Yugi set his jaw, took one last look at his other half and continued.

Suddenly there was a tremble of branches above him. Yami no Bakura saw it too. A dark thing was falling right towards them from above. Yami no Bakura and Yami Yugi jumped to the side. Yugi, still supporting the struggling Ryou was unable to move. The dark thing dived for Ryou.

There was a loud clang of steel. Yugi had drawn his sword just in time to block Yami no Malik's first attack. Yami no Malik's other hand swung, aiming this time for Yugi's gut when Yami no Bakura tackled him over with his staff. Yami no Malik fell backwards, away from Yugi. Yami no Yugi breathed again.

"Come for a visit?" Yami no Malik spat, pale eyes ablaze. His gaze looked at each member of the group in turn and then he laughed, just as cold and high pitched as Yami no Yugi remembered. "Well look," he teased maliciously. "I didn't know the mighty Bakura could work in a team! So they can be trained after all!"

Yami no Bakura launched himself forward, the blade of his glaive diving for Yami no Malik's chest. Yami no Yugi was about to jump forward as well.

_Wait! _Yugi cried in his darker side's head. _Bakura's got a plan._ Yami Yugi saw Ryou was whispering frantically into Yugi's ear, as though Yami no Bakura were giving his light the instructions while he fought. _You need to watch Ryou while I go after the original Malik, _Yugi said.

_You? By yourself? Why? _Yami no Yugi questioned, eyes flicking back and forth between Yami no Malik and Yami Bakura's furious battle and his lighter half. _What if Yami no Malik comes after you? _

_Would you rather go? _Yugi questioned, frustrated and panicked. _And leave me here alone with Yami no Malik and Yami no Bakura while trying to take care of Ryou? _Yami no Yugi thought about it for a moment.

_Okay go!_ Yami no Yugi conceded. Yugi lowered Ryou onto his glaive as Yami no Yugi made his way around the battle in the center of the clearing. A knife went flying passed Yami no Yugi's ears as he ran. As soon as Yami no Yugi and his light side crossed paths, the dark soul grabbed his arm before he had a chance to leave. _Be careful, _Yami no Yugi said giving Yugi's arm a squeeze. Yugi flashed him a grin.

_I will_, his light said. Yami no Yugi released him, reluctantly, and Yugi was off, sprinting into the trees making a wide curve around the battle zone.

Yami no Malik had noticed something was up. He had realized one of their company was missing, frightful panicked eyes searching everywhere. Yami no Yugi darted forward, trying to join the fight to keep Yami no Malik's attention focused. But Yami no Malik grabbed a hold of a branch overhead and swung backwards, away from Yami no Bakura's attacks and then spotted Yugi running toward the place where his light was hidden.

Yami no Malik leaped from the tree in a mad dash, running straight at Yugi, knives flashing in his hand.

"Aibou!" Yami no Yugi shrieked, panic clutching his heart, running after them. Yami no Malik was catching up to Yugi. Yami no Yugi's feet slipped on the grass as he ran. Yami no Malik held up a knife, ready to throw at Yugi's frantically sprinting form. In his desperation, Yami no Yugi pulled the sword from his belt and swung it wildly at Yami no Malik's knees. The other dark soul tripped over his weapon and rolled forward in his furious momentum.

Yami no Yugi leapt forward, standing in Yami no Malik's way, sword raised. Yami no Malik, still on the ground, took a swipe at Yami no Yugi's legs. The knife slashed a cut across both knees. Yami no Yugi fell to the ground and Yami no Malik pounced on him, knife at the ready and stabbed him in the shoulder. Yami no Yugi screamed.

Yugi already far ahead, turned wildly around.

"Mou hitori no boku!" Yugi cried, face white. Yami no Yugi saw his light start to run back, clumsily drawing his sword from his own belt.

_No! Don't come back!_ Yami no Yugi shouted through their link. _Get Malik! Make sure he's safe! _Yugi stopped running, there were tears in his purple eyes.

_But mou hitori no boku… _Yugi protested weakly.

_Get Malik, aibou! I'll be fine!_ Yami no Yugi cried and elbowed Yami no Malik in the face. There was no response through their link, Yami Yugi hoped his light had turned back around but he too busy trying to get the dark soul off of him to check.

Yami no Malik raised his knife again but before he could strike Yami no Bakura smashed the blunt end of his heavy spear into Yami no Malik's outstretched arm, throwing him off Yami no Yugi. Yami Malik roared in pain. The arm Yami no Bakura had hit was twisted at a very bad angle. It looked broken.

"Where were you the first time?" Yami Yugi grunted as he examined his heavily bleeding shoulder, going rapidly light headed. Yami no Bakura scowled.

"I saved your skin, didn't I?" Yami no Bakura spat as though Yami no Yugi should be more grateful. "You should be thanking me." Yami no Yugi would have liked to respond but Yami no Malik was back on his feet.

"You trying to take my light?" he chuckled, blood dripping out of his chapped and blistered mouth. He was standing lopsidedly, broken arm hanging useless at his side, hot breath hissing at the corners of his mouth. "Yugi can't kill him, he is too weak. Your plans to get rid of me won't work."

"Our plan isn't to kill your lighter half," Yami no Yugi spat, eyes growing heavy after so much blood loss. He barely could keep himself standing; his sword grew heavy in his hands. Yami no Bakura shot Yami Yugi a harsh look, warning him to keep quiet.

"No matter," Yami no Malik growled, his voice dangerously low, tongue licking his lips. "I will finish off _one_ of your weaker halves any way." Yami Yugi's head was spinning, the fumes from the warm blood spreading across his shirt was making it hard for him to concentrate. So he didn't even notice when Yami no Malik aimed for Ryou.

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Ryou was leaning against his staff, his injured arm hanging like a dead thing at his side. The pain seemed to have traveled up into his neck and chest as the fight continued making it increasingly hard for Ryou to breathe. Stinging sweat dripped into Ryou's eyes.

'Even if I wanted to do something,' Ryou thought desperately. 'I can't even move. Once again I'm just useless…' Despair carved a deep empty hole in Ryou's chest. 'I've always been useless.'

There was a sudden movement from the fighters dancing in front of him. Ryou looked up to see Yami no Malik's sick, empty eyes targeting him, knives at the ready. The heavy spear slipped from Ryou's limp fingers onto the ground. Ryou knew he had to move, to run.

A cold flash of sunlight hitting steel and the battle daggers were flying right at him. Ryou didn't have time to think, his mind went blank. He closed his eyes waiting for the impact to hit. At the last second, something large and solid jumped in front of him, in the direct path of the knives.

There was a sickening thud of metal landing in flesh and a gasp as air escaped from an empty lung. Warm droplets of blood hit Ryou's pale face. He opened his large brown eyes to see Yami no Bakura standing in front of him with three of Yami no Malik's daggers logged in his back.

Yami no Bakura had an expression of shocked puzzlement on his face, as though he didn't understand how he had gotten there. Ryou stared, eyes wide, gut clenched and sunken.

'He stepped in front of me…' Ryou thought, numbly. 'He saved me.' A dribble of blood trickled out of the corner of Yami no Bakura's mouth. His body fell forward. Ryou caught him with difficulty; his own knees collapsing under him, bringing them both to the ground. Yami no Malik's high cold laugh echoed through out the wood.

"How's that! How does that feel!" he shrieked. Yami no Malik's eyes were round with triumph. "No one can defeat me!" Yami no Bakura's body was leaning on top Ryou, his dead weight almost crushing him.

'Dead weight? Dead? No, he can't be…' Ryou thought, his brain had gone numb with horror. He struggled to pull himself out from under his darker half's body.

"Why?" Ryou breathed, cradling Yami no Bakura's head in his lap. "Why did you do that? I thought… don't you hated me…?" The lifeless mouth did not answer.

"Now I'll finish you all off," Yami no Malik hissed through sharp teeth. He took his last knife and approached Ryou on the ground, eyes glinting with a deadly light. Yami no Yugi jumped in his path this time.

"You will not lay a hand on them, Malik!" Yami no Yugi snarled. Yami no Malik giggled, blood bubbling between his lips.

"Well, I'll just have to kill you first then," Yami no Malik concluded calmly. Even though Yami no Malik's left arm was crushed, he could still fight unlike Yami no Yugi. Ryou could see Yugi's dark side struggling to keep his balance, the sword drooping unsteadily in his hands. Yami no Yugi knew he had no chance of beating him.

A strange feeling was filling in Ryou's chest; his hands were shaking like mad but not with fear. Yes, he knew he was afraid, but his anger and desperation consumed his fear. Without thinking Ryou grabbed his battle glaive, laying a few feet away from him in the grass. For some reason it didn't feel that heavy anymore, Ryou could lift it.

Yami no Malik had taken a swipe at Yami no Yugi's chest, a large gash had appeared there causing him to lose even more blood. Yugi's dark side fell to the ground, panting, the world around him spinning. Yami no Malik was ready for the final attack when a large thing hit him hard in the face. Yami no Malik fell backwards onto his back, blood exploding from his broken nose. He looked up to see his attacker, Ryou, standing above him, a hard fierce glow shining in his once soft brown eyes.

"You fight now?" Yami no Malik panted, chest heaving. His dark skinned face twisted with exhaustion and pain. "You can barely lift that weapon of yours." Ryou's eyes narrowed and pulled the heavy staff above his head ready to strike.

"Same goes for you," Ryou said as his blow fell. Yami no Malik rolled to the side and Ryou missed. Ryou swung fiercely again, the blade of his staff scratched Yami no Malik's elbow and his dodged it.

"Are you fighting for the memory of your darker half?" Yami no Malik taunted sickeningly. "How sweet." Ryou struck again, more furiously this time. The heavy weapon missed and Ryou lost his balance on his weak legs and fell toppling to the ground. Yami no Malik grabbed his last knife and dived for Ryou on the ground, blood covering all of his face, white eyes flaming.

"You can't kill me! You light halves are all too weak!"

"Are we?" a cold voice spoke from behind him. Yami no Malik was thrown to the sideways by Yugi, who tackled him in his bruised side to get him away from Ryou. Yami no Malik was on the ground, growling and snarling like an animal. A shadow rose above him. Yami no Malik looked up in horror to see his own lighter half raise a large rock over his head.

"Go to hell," Malik snarled and slammed the rock down on the top of Yami no Malik's head. The dark soul fell unconscious to the ground.

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Yami Yugi was fast asleep when the warm thing underneath his head moved, jarring him into consciousness. He slowly pealed his eyes open. The first thing he saw was his lighter half's face floating above him.

"Sorry," Yugi said, purple eyes shining. "Did I wake you?" Yami Yugi was speechless. Maybe it was the soft gray light flooding through the trees or maybe it was fact that Yami no Yugi's head was resting in his aibou's lap, but for whatever reason, Yugi looked strangely captivating. Yami Yugi couldn't seem to look away from his face. Yugi frowned slightly in worry when his darker half didn't answer. "Is there something wrong, mou hitori no boku?" Yami no Yugi forced his voice to work, breaking himself out of his trance.

"No… nothing's wrong," Yami no Yugi said truthfully, still staring at his lighter half. Suddenly he remembered the more urgent matter at hand. "What happened to the battle? Where's Yami no Malik?"

"Off over there tied to a tree," Yugi answered and pointed in direction into the woods. Yami no Yugi squinted, scanning the rest of the clearing.

Yugi and Malik were the only ones who remained unscathed. The original Malik was sitting with his back against a tree, staring fixedly off in the direction his darker half. Aside from some rope burns on his wrists there was no serious physical damage to him. For what Yami no Yugi could see of his own injures they weren't too severe. Yami no Bakura was the only one to really worry about then. The white haired demon was lying on his side, the knives having struck him in the back. Ryou was sitting right beside him, watching the darker half of his personality intently, his large brown eyes strangely empty.

Yami no Yugi's gazed stayed on Yami no Bakura's still unconscious body.

"How is he?" Yami no Yugi asked his light hollowly.

"We don't know," Yugi admitted weakly. "He hasn't woken up. I just hope those knives didn't hit a lung or something." Yami no Yugi's stomach clenched unpleasantly.

"It's my fault," he said softly. "I was supposed to be guarding Ryou."

"Its no one's fault," Yugi insisted. "He'll wake up soon and then we'll get out of here." Yami no Yugi didn't answer.

"Is mou hitori no Yugi awake?" Malik asked, turning sharply to face Yugi and his Yami.

"Yeah," Yugi answered. Malik nodded briskly.

"Okay, I get to kill him now, right?" Malik asked fiercely, a knife already in his hand.

"What?" Yami no Yugi asked, confused. Yugi smiled nervously.

"I told him about the compromise. You know, when we decided to let him choose whether to kill Yami no Malik or not," Yugi explained hastily, eyeing Malik warily. "He's… very enthusiastic about the idea." Yami Yugi looked over at Malik as well, his head rotating in Yugi's lap.

"You sure about this?" Yami no Yugi asked Malik. "You don't want time to think about it, at all?"

"That bastard doesn't deserve to live!" Malik spat forcefully, violent eyes flashing threateningly. Yami no Yugi felt uneasy, he looked up at his lighter half. Yugi shrugged.

_I don't know what Yami no Malik did to him,_ Yugi insisted. Yami no Yugi, frowned in puzzlement.

"Maybe we should wait till Bakura gets up," Yami no Yugi suggested although he knew when Yami no Bakura got up, if he was going to get up at all, the dark soul would probably side with Malik. Malik scowled, frustrated.

"You said it was my choice!" Malik hissed. "And I want him dead!" Yami no Yugi exchanged glances with his lighter half. Yugi's eyes were wide in worry, his darker half knew he didn't want to see anyone die.

"Ryou!" Yami no Yugi called as a last resort. The white haired teen's head snapped up suddenly as though he had just realized they were all there.

"What?" he asked, blinking, not focusing on the people in front of him.

"They're trying to delay me from getting my revenge," Malik growled angrily.

"Shouldn't we wait till Bakura gets up before Malik kills him?" Yugi asked, staring at Ryou pleadingly. Ryou blinked in confusion.

"Well it is Malik's choice," he answered distractedly, looking back down at his darker half. Needing no more convincing, Malik stood up.

"Wait!" Yugi pleaded. "Do you really think you should be the one doing this?" Malik turned sharply to Yugi, eyes fiery.

"Yes," he answered simply and he began to walk into the wood.

"Do you have to do this Malik?" Yugi asked. Malik stopped in his tracts, eyes nailed to ground. "He doesn't know any better," Yugi said. Malik didn't answer, standing as still as a stone column. The knife was already raised in his hand.

"Think about this before you go through with it," Ryou spoke up from across the clearing, his brown eyes finally lifting from Yami no Bakura's still form. "Don't let this be impulse."

'Don't be like him,' was the unspoken thought.

"He is your dark side," Ryou added looking down at Yami no Bakura. "He is your fear… Who are you without him?" There was silence. Malik had not moved, he made no sign he had actually taken in anything Ryou had said but he didn't look like he was rejecting it either.

"I'm going alone," Malik said hollowly and, without another word, walked straightforward, his body rigid, and out of sight of the others. Yugi and his dark side glanced nervously at each other.

"Will Malik be okay?" Yugi asked. Ryou took one last look back at the direction Malik had gone.

"I hope so," Ryou admitted. "I just don't want him to make a decision he'll regret." Yugi nodded. Ryou placed Yami no Bakura's own folded leather coat under the darkness' head. "They can surprise you, can't they? Our darker halves?" Ryou asked nervously, looking down at his darkness' body as though he was something fragile.

"Yeah," Yugi said grinned looking down at his own darkness. Yami no Yugi smirked.

"We're not nearly as confusing as you lighter halves," he admitted, staring up at his aibou, red eyes twinkling. Yugi grinned.

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Malik stood there for a while, in front of his Yami, arm holding the knife still raised. His teeth were clenched painfully; his jaw ached with the strain. Yami no Malik had been tied with copious amounts of rope to a tree trunk. His chin was bowed down onto his chest, his wild thick head of hair hiding his face from view. The knife grew heavy in Malik's hands; its handle was slippery with his sweat.

"Can't go through with it?" a cold voice hissed. Malik gave a start and almost dropped the knife.

"How long have you been awake?" Malik spat coldly. Yami no Malik lifted his head from his chest, spikes of platinum blond hair falling out of place, revealing his scared nose and bloody face.

"Long enough," he hissed threateningly. Pale bloodshot eyes locked onto Malik's violet ones. Malik's will shook for a second then he collected himself. He was the one with the weapon this time; he was not one the one being tied down or tortured anymore.

"How do you feel now?" Malik asked, voice poisonous. His violet eyes were glowing fiercely down at his foe. "Now that the tables have turned, now that I am in control?" Yami no Malik grinned and spat onto the ground, cleaning blood from the inside of his mouth.

"Come on, my weaker half, I know you. You won't do this. You can't," he purred, eyes half lidded, glaring up at Malik. "Face it," Yami no Malik hissed, his voice low, words twisting cruelly around Malik's thoughts. "You are weak, you need me."

"I am not weak!" Malik cried angrily. His knees were shaky beneath him; it felt as though at any second they were going to collapse. "I don't need anyone!" Yami no Malik smirked.

"How did you survive this long?" Yami no Malik asked. "It was because of me. I protected you. I have always protected you. I was born to protect you," Yami no Malik continued. Malik stared at his darker side unbelievingly.

"Well, you did a very poor job," Malik spat doubtfully.

"When Chichiue was against you, when he tortured you with harsh lessons and fierce teachings, you thought it was unfair, being forced to live below the ground for your entire life, never to feel a ray of sun. The loneliness, anger, sadness and hatred you buried deep inside your heart created me!" Yami no Malik insisted, pale eyes staring at his urgently. "You have no right to kill me, you should be thanking me! I protected you, main personality." Yami no Malik threw back in his head insanely and laughed, his voice tearing painfully at Malik's eardrums.

"Shut up!" Malik shouted angrily, interrupting Yami no Malik's insanity. "You're lying. You didn't protect me at all. You killed Chichiue!" Malik accused intensely. "You killed my father!" Yami no Malik's fake smirk fell, he actually looked quite serious.

"Well now, I won't be taking _all _the blame for that one," Yami no Malik growled, eyes narrowed. "You know as well as I do what happened on _that_ day. Just because we have two separate minds doesn't mean you can keep all the good memories and give me all the bad ones. You are just as guilty as I am!"

"But you were the one who killed him," Malik insisted detestably. Yami no Malik shrugged.

"Technically yes," he admitted mildly, still smirking.

"The whole tribe believed I was a demon! They thought some devil had climbed up out of hell to curse the family. The only ones who believed in me were Ne-san and Rishido," Malik said, eyes falling to the ground. Yami no Malik chuckled icily.

"And see where Ne-san got you," Yami no Malik taunted. Malik's heart hardened.

"And you killed her too," Malik said, hatred hanging from every syllable. Yami no Malik scowled sourly.

"I would have liked to have had the pleasure," Yami no Malik admitted casually. "But can't say I wouldn't have tried if I had been given the chance."

"Liar! I know you killed her!" Malik cried, jabbing the knife towards Yami no Malik again, panicked and frustrated tears hanging at he corners of his eyes. "You were the only one that could have!"

"You believe what you want," expressed Yami no Malik coldly, shrugging indifferently. "But may I remind you there was a time when you claimed you would kill her as well." Malik struggled for words.

"That was different," Malik insisted. "She was my sister."

"And I'm your other half," Yami no Malik said accusingly.

"Ne-san was trying to help me. You tortured me every night," Malik snarled. Yami no Malik scoffed.

"I might have scared you a little," he admitted, rolling his pale dead eyes, irritated. "But I never hurt you. I was only having fun. I never locked you up in an insane asylum or made you take medical drugs or forced you through years of experimental philological testing."

"Ne-san loved me," Malik insisted sternly, expression hard. Yami no Malik's face twisted in disgust.

"What does that word have to do with anything?" Yami no Malik snorted, voice harsh and cutting. "I could just as easily say I love you and it wouldn't mean anything." Malik looked thoroughly appalled at this statement.

"You love nothing but darkness," Malik spat. Yami no Malik grinned, pale eyes dancing.

"I do," Yami no Malik answered. Malik felt sick. He looked away, stomach churning unpleasantly. He wasn't sure if Yami no Malik's answer had meant, "I do love nothing but darkness" or "I do love".

"Why did you… kiss me?" Malik asked hesitantly, not looking at his darkness. Yami no Malik stared for a second, as though pondering his reply, which was strange. Malik had never known him to think over anything before saying it before.

"I knew you would hate it and I was having fun," Yami no Malik drawled loftily. "I didn't know you'd take it so personally or… that you'd taste so good." Yami no Malik licked his broken lips, eyeing Malik positively hungrily. Terror gripped Malik's heart; he took a step back, knife shaking in his hand.

"You're s-sick," Malik stammered. Yami no Malik grinned broadly.

"Why do you ask? Have you been thinking about me often, original personality? I didn't know you liked it so much," he purred cunningly, voice dangerously low.

"Shut up!" Malik cried impulsively. "I'll kill you! I will!" He commanded his arm to move, to strike this evil reflection of himself but it did not move. Yami no Malik laughed, cold and shrill. He knew he words were working now.

"That's right, my weaker half, let your hatred consume you," Yami no Malik taunted harshly. "Let it drive your actions, let the darkness into your soul. Then you can be just like me." Malik gave a start.

"You're trying to scare me out of doing what I have come to accomplish!" Malik cried angrily.

"Only because I know you won't do it," Yami no Malik said calmly, his tone mocking, as though he wasn't worried at all. Malik's grip on the knife shook in his rage.

'Even now, while I am in command of the situation, his words still control me!' Malik thought angrily, squeezing his eyes shut, wanting to scream. Anger, hatred, and fear were building upon either in Malik's heart. 'I am _not_ weak!' Malik screamed at himself.

Malik shot forward, grabbed a fist full of Yami no Malik's platinum blonde hair, twisted it and pulled his head backwards, making the dark spirit look up at the sky. His other hand held the knife, now resting on Yami no Malik's dark throat. The cold steel glinted in the sunlight. Malik was breathing hard, his mind was a blur, hot rage keep the steel pressed against his evil counterpart's neck. Yami no Malik's eyes were wide, fear etched harshly in every pulsing vein.

"How about now?" Malik breathed harshly. "Do you believe me now? I will bury your darkness with my own hands. Your life ends here."

"You don't know what you're doing," Yami no Malik hissed, neck stretched. Malik could smell the sharp sent of fear on him. "You need me. We could own the powers of darkness. We can destroy those other fools who stand in our way, together. We could rule the world."

"Now you are showing your true self," Malik growled. "Afraid to die? Is that why you're making bargains with me?" Yami no Malik did not reply. Malik drew in a calming breath. His hand on Yami no Malik's hair relaxed and he moved the knife away from his darkness' throat. "But you're wrong," Malik said, voice disgusted. He tossed the knife away with a flick of the wrist. It landed blade down in the grass, handle wavering in the air only a few feet away. "We both have our weaknesses." Malik moved away from his darker half and set his back against the tree, closing his eyes in fierce frustration. Yami no Malik watched him closely, eyes still wide with shock at having a knife to his throat.

"I should kill you," Malik insisted forcefully, hands clenched furiously at his side. "But I can't!" Yami no Malik breathed again, the sweat trickling down the sides of his face grew icy cold. "Killing people is your job," Malik spat hateful, opening his eyes, glowering at the tree across the clearing. "I could get Yami no Bakura to kill you, I'm sure he'd be happy to do it." Yami no Malik's body went rigid, fear gripping him again. Malik snorted as he sensed his darkness' panic. "Its disappointing actually, I thought you weren't scared of anything."

"Everyone is afraid to die," Yami no Malik commented stiffly. To his surprise Malik laughed harshly.

"There, you're wrong again," Malik announced. "Not everyone is afraid to die. Some wish for death." Yami no Malik felt sick, his whole body was trembling.

"Do you wish for death?" Yami no Malik asked, his voice shook. Malik turned his head slowly to look at his shaking darker half.

"Does it scare you that I would want take my own life?" Malik snapped. Yami no Malik refused to answer, cold sweat still dripping down the sides of his face, acidic breath hissing. Yami no Malik couldn't take it, he looked away from Malik's empty eyes. He couldn't understand. It didn't make sense, how could anyone wish for nonexistence?

"What do you fear?" Yami no Malik asked.

"I thought that was obvious," Malik said coldly. Yami no Malik scowled. "I'm afraid of you," Malik answered truthfully. "I am afraid of the darkness in my heart, of not being in control of my own destiny, of hurting people I care about. And in a way," Malik added. "You're afraid me. Afraid of power I hold over you."

"What power?" Yami no Malik scoffed bitterly.

"That to get rid of you I could end my life at anytime," Malik growled threateningly. Yami no Malik flinched, his face twisted in frustration, veins pulsing at his temples.

"You know, don't _have_ to kill me," Yami no Malik spat coldly, eyes shining hopefully. Malik blinked slowly, turning this idea around in his head.

"Well I certainly can't trust you," Malik said candidly. Yami no Malik smirked.

"Neither can I trust you," he hissed, voice rough. "Something we have in common." Malik snorted

"Something we have in common?" the lighter half repeated ironically. "If that is even possible…"

There was silence, surprisingly neither of them could think of anything to say. The conversation had come to a complete stand-still. Malik was still staring at the knife only a few feet away in the grass.

"Maybe…" Malik pondered softly. Yami no Malik's face twitched painfully.

"What are you thinking, main personality?" Yami no Malik growled, curious despite himself. Malik looked up.

"I created you," Malik repeated. Yami no Malik scowled.

"Yes, I explained that already," Yami no Malik spat irritably.

"Then maybe I can seal you back into my body," Malik said. Yami no Malik laughed harshly, his voice grinding and painful.

"That's ridiculous," Yami no Malik spat. Malik's gaze sharpened determinedly. Yami no Malik was startled, this new look unnerved him.

"My anger and hatred created you," Malik said slowly, eyes widening as though coming to a suddenly understanding. He stood up and turned to Yami no Malik still tied to the tree. "So maybe I can control my anger, seal my hatred and fear within myself."

"You can't…" Yami no Malik insisted, trying to keep his voice strong and failing, staring apprehensively up at his light side. "That's impossible. You can't…"

"I can try," Malik snapped. He stepped very close to his dark personality and crouched down so they were eye level with each other. Yami no Malik's head and pressed back against the tree as though he would have liked to run away. Malik's surprisingly calm stony expression gazed at him thoughtfully. "I will bury my anger inside myself."

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> > > > > > > >

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Wow, that was deep. Real deep. Kinda weird switching of roles yet not switching of roles. Yeah, think about that too long and your head will explode. 

All I can say is, MALIK IS SO COOL!

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooo! YAMI NO BAKURA! (morns) Though, Ryou was pretty awesome in this chapter. Pretty FREAKEN awesome!

**Next Chapter**: Good lord, it's the chapter from Hell, and I am not kidding. Now that they kinda got mostly everyone on board with the whole, not killing each other thing, how are they going to get out of this world? Better question, how are they going to get out without Bakura's assistance? What if they can't wake Bakura up? Is he really dead? Malik's not doing so well either... SHADI YOU BASTARD!

God, now even I'm excited.

Here's a secret: Reviewers are awesome. People who are awesome review. Does that mean _all_ awesome people review or _all_ reviewers are awesome? What if you _don't_ review? Well then you're just a **BIG FAT LOSER**!

Take that with your tea and drink it!

**REVIEW!**


	19. Reliable Guardian

Woah, I am like totally freaked out. I had this dreamwhere my skin was _melting_! Or was it puffing up like a balloon? Only not a good balloon and it was only on one arm. (shivers in fear) So freaky…

Man, I'm not going to lie to you. This was the chapter _FROM HELL_! It took me like… 5 months to write because I had enough writers' block to drown an elephant, seriously. It was like disgusting. So this chapter… it's not bad I just had a horrible painstaking time writing it. Lots of bits… well, _all_ of it was rewritten at a time and scenes and dialogs rearranged. It was insane. Phew, I'm so glad that's over.

Not to say that you all _wonderful_ readers, both awesome and fat losers, (those who review and those who do not) shouldn't enjoy this chapter. I just personality hate it.

The chapter is brought to you by: Malik, being an idiot though I guess you can't really blame him for trying… Or maybe you can, depends on if you're Yami no Malik or not.

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>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 

**Chyaputa 19: Reliable Guardian **

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

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Yugi and his darker half were underneath the tree across the clearing, their heads very close together. Their gazes flickered towards each other, hinting they were using their mind link to silently communicate. Ryou sat a few feet away feeling highly left out. He always felt left out when Yugi and his yami talked to each other like that, there was just no way forhim to join. 

ThenRyou looked down at his own dark personality again and his stomach dropped a few more unpleasant notches.

'He hasn't moved,' Ryou thought, anxiety creeping up on him again. 'He might not even be breathing anymore…' The disarray of messy silver white spiky hair lay unmoved around his pale cold face. It looked like he could have been asleep. Without noticing it, Ryou's breathing had become short and shallow. 'Please wake up,' Ryou pleaded to the corpse. 'Please, just wake up.' But his darker half did not move.

Ryou wasn't even sure why he wanted Yami no Bakura to wake up. Before entering the illusion world, a small part of Ryou had been wishing that his darker side would just go away and disappear forever but no part of him held that thought anymore. Now all of his heart was screaming, 'Please don't leave me alone…' Ryou was afraid to touch his dark personality. He had taken a hold of his darker side's wrist some time ago, trying desperately to find a pulse to reassure himself that his darker half was going to wake up and was shocked to find his pale skin icy cold to the touch.

'Does that mean he's dying?' Ryou asked, his hands firmly clasped in his lap to stop them from trembling. 'Can I do anything to help him?' Shakily, one hand rose from Ryou's lap and placed itself on top of Yami no Bakura's wild white hair. It felt real and smooth. Ryou relaxed, pale fingers digging through his snow-colored locks. The small reassurance was cleansing somewhat; it helped Ryou's fidgety nerves to finally calm.

Suddenly there were vibrations beneath his fingers; Ryou jumped in shock. Hastily,he extracted his hand from his darker half's thick hair. Yami no Bakura was stirring, a small groan escaped his throat as he squinted at the area around him through silted dark eyes. Ryou could hardly believe it. He was awake.

"Dammit… what happened…?" Yami no Bakura hissed. Ryou's heart jumped to hear his voice again. Yami no Bakura looked more urgently around the circle a second time. "Where's… Yami no Malik?" he asked. "Did he get away?"

"H-he's tied to a tree over there," Ryou explained. Yami no Bakura turned his eyes on Ryou, still sitting very close beside him. Ryou's insides squirmed for a split second as their gazes met.

'What the hell is wrong with me?' Ryou asked himself. Yami no Bakura stared at his light for a moment longer then relaxed his head against the leather material of his folded up trench coatagain. Ryou breathed.

"Well, lets kill the bastard and be done with it," Yami no Bakura hissed.

"Malik's already gone to do that," Ryou answered.

"Really?" Yami no Bakura asked with a smirk, eyeing his lighter half smugly. "So he's decided to kill him after all. Looks like you were wrong, yadonushi."

Ryou shrugged. "Maybe," he admitted. Yami no Bakura frowned but he didn't respond. Ryou looked thoughtfully down at his darker half. "Um, mou hitori no boku," Ryou began nervously. "Thanks for saving me." Yami no Bakura shrugged impassively and then winced as the action irritated the wounds in his back.

"If you died I would have I died anyway," he said indifferently as if it had been nothing. Ryou bit his bottom lip.

"But if you thought you were going to die anyway, why did you bother trying to save me?" Ryou asked tentatively. Yami no Bakura put his head back down on his folded leather jacket, closing his eyes.

"How should I know?" Yami no Bakura said coldly. "I didn't even realized I had jumped. My body just acted on its own."

"I thought…" Ryou said, looking away from his darker personality's face. "I thought you hated me. I couldn't understand why you would…" Ryou pulled himself into silence.

Yami no Bakura sighed irritably. "It didn't seem logical," he explained with unreadable emotion. "For both of us to die when only one of us had to." Ryou blinked, pondering this callous point of view.

"I guess that makes sense," Ryou answered. Yami no Bakura opened his eyes and glanced up at Ryou. His lighter half smiled at the dark soul. A strange feeling knotted Yami no Bakura's stomach. He had never seen his host smile before, not since he had been a child. It was strange, unnerving yet oddly reassuring. Yami no Bakura stared, hypnotized by his lighter half's sudden cheerfulness. What did he have to be so dammed happy about?

It was at that moment that Malik returned. He stumbled out of the trees on wobbling legs, face very pale. Ryou and Yami no Bakura tore their eyes away from each other and turned to look. Yugi and his darker side looked up as the Egyptian entered and collapsed exhausted upon the ground in the middle of the clearing.

"What happened, Malik-kun?" Yugi asked cautiously.

"Did you kill him?" Yami no Yugi asked seriously, more straightforward. Malik slowly shook his head. Yugi sighed with relief. Yami no Bakura scowled deeply.

"You what?" Yami no Bakura growled skeptically. The others, who hadn't noticed Yami no Bakura was awakeuntil he spoke, turned sharply towards the sound of his voice.

"Bakura-kun!" Yugi cried happily.

"Hey, looks like you're alive," Malik commented. Yami no Bakura frowned

"What the hell did you do Malik?" Yami no Bakura accused forcefully, cutting off their reunion abruptly. "I can sense you lowered power levels. What the hell did you do?" Yugi and his Yami looked at each other confused. Malik sighed tiredly.

"My darkness was made from the hatred and fear within my heart," Malik explained, looking down at his shaking hands. "I created him to protect me, or at least that's what he says. So I tried to seal him back into my heart. It kinda worked." Yugi looked across the clearing to Ryou who was just as bewildered as he did.

"He was made from the darkness in your heart?" Ryou asked urgently, very confused. He and Yugi were both thinking the same thing.

'Did I create my darker side?'

Malik nodded. "If you can believe what he says." Ryou exchanged one last look with Yugi before they both looked down at their respective darker sides. Yami no Bakura's eyes narrowed but he didn't say anything. Yami no Yugi looked just as confused as Yugi did.

_I have no idea whether you created me, aibou, _he admitted in their silent mind link. _I told you I don't remember anything._ Yugi nodded.

_I believe you, mou hitori no boku, _Yugi insisted. Then suddenly something Yami no Bakura had once said came surfacing up to Yami no Yugi's mind.

"_Yami no Malik knows nothing but power and wants nothing but destruction… He was born from a child's nightmares and the powers of darkness. He cannot comprehend real human emotions…"_

'Is it possible?' Yami no Yugi thought darkly, red eyes flashing over to Yami no Bakura. 'Could he have known all this time?'

But hadn't the dark soul also said, "_Yami no Malik is different than us…"_

'Different how?' Yami no Yugi pondered, his old suspicions resurfacing. Yugi followed his darkness' train of thought scattered-ly, catching small images as they flew past Yami no Yugi's mind.

_Is that what Bakura-kun said to you? _Yugi asked. Yami no Yugi looked up with a start, forgetting his lighter half had been listening.

_Yes, _he admitted darkly. _I don't like this feeling. How much does Bakura actually know? _

"That was stupid!" Yami no Bakura spat harshly. Malik's head shot up from the ground to glare at him. "It's dangerous trying to suppress your power, that won't solve your problem Malik!"

"Even if it's only temporary, it will at least help us get out of this world," the Egyptian retorted stiffly.

Yami no Bakura snorted in disbelief. "What we need now is more power, not less. Restraining yourself will only make it harder for us to escape. Without your darker side you're weak…"

"I can manage it!" Malik insisted forcefully. Yami no Bakura scowled angrily.

"So what? You're not going to kill him?" he questioned coldly.

"No," Malik announced. "Not least not yet."

"This might be your last chance," Yami no Bakura warned him severely.

"I told you I'm fine! Besides he's harmless now, I can control him," Malik said firmly. Yami no Bakura scoffed doubtfully, even Yugi and his darker side exchanged uneasy glances; it just sounded too simple.

"Are you saying you can make him cooperate?" Yami no Bakura snapped from the ground. "We can _not_ afford to make a mistake." Malik stared him down, eyes firm.

"I can control him," Malik persisted, almost menacingly.

"So you think," Yami no Bakura spat, scowl deepening. "If he messes this up, it's your head." Malik frowned irritably. Yugi smiled down at his darker half. Yami no Yugi knew he was happy no one had to die. Ryou sighed in relief; his darker personality glared up at him for a second then looked back at the ground.

'Dammit, yadonushi was right,' Yami no Bakura thought grudgingly, glaring bad tempered at the ground.

"So what now?" Yugi asked.

"We break out of here," Yami no Bakura announced.

"Can we do that?" Malik questioned. "I mean, are we allowed to do that? Didn't that guy say that only one team can escape?"

"Actually if you remember the words that guy said, he doesn't mention anything about there only being one winner," Yugi pointed out logically. "We just assumed that since he was putting us into teams and giving us weapons that we were supposed to kill each other."

"'Only the worthy shall rise victorious, all teams that fail will be consumed by darkness', that's what he said," Yami no Yugi recalled seriously. "So technically we're not breaking any rules."

"But we still don't know how to get out," Malik said.

"We need to find the place where that guy's shadow power is the weakest and then we canbreak the illusion and return to the real world," Bakura instructed.

"How do we know what place is the weakest?" Malik questioned.

"Think about it," Ryou said before his darker half could answer. "This world is set on patterns. The trees are all the same; same space apart, the bushes exact same height. So all we need to do is find a place where the pattern is broken," Ryou answered logically.

"Or find where the pattern begins," Yami no Yugi suggested.

"So we'll have to search this _whole_ world looking for a broken pattern or edge?" Malik asked grumpily. "Sounds tiresome."

"We don't have to search," Yami no Bakura said. "This forest world does not go on forever, the illusion ends a short walk in that direction," he explained pointing to the right. The others looked at him, astonished.

"How do you know?" Yami no Yugi accused skeptically. Yami no Bakura shot him an annoyed glare.

"Are you going to constantly question my reasoning forever? We're on the same team now in case you haven't noticed," Yami no Bakura spat nastily. Yami no Yugi frowned but remained silent. "While I was searching for Malik's hideout a while ago I found a wall."

"A wall?" Malik repeated, looking around. "I haven't see anything."

"It's barrier of sorts," Yami no Bakura explained irritated. "You can't see it."

"If you can't see it, how do you know where it is?" Yami no Yugi commented dryly.

"Will it hurt your pride to go and check it out?" Yami no Bakura sneered coldly. Yami no Yugi glared at the white haired demon but again didn't respond.

"Let's go see it then, or not see it I guess," Malik corrected himself.

"Bring your darker half, Malik," Bakura ordered. Malik nodded and ran back to the place where he had left him tied against the tree.

Malik came back a few minutes later withhis dark side in tow. Yami no Malik's arms were tied behind his back but his legs were free so he could walk. Malik had also secured a rope around Yami no Malik's waist so he could lead him around as if Yami no Malik was a dog on a leash. A significant change had come over the dark soul; it was a sickening sight.He looked very weak, his limbs trembling as though he might collapse on the spot, breathing harsh as though every step was causing him pain. His cruel confidence had disappeared probably from the loss of his power andhis pale fidgety eyes focused on the ground, refusing tolook at anyone and covered in shadow.

"I told you he was harmless," Malik said, smiling cruelly at his darker half. Yugi and his Yami traded worried and confused looks, Ryou felt slightly nauseous. Yami no Bakura didn't even look up.

"Let's move then," Yami no Bakura said and tried to pull himself off the ground and failed, wincing and groaning with pain.

"Here," Ryou offered and leaned forward and took a hold of both of his darkness' arms. Yami no Bakura looked up into his host's face; Ryou made his eyes focus on the ground, not looking at him. Yami no Bakura hissed at the ache of the wounds in his back. Ryou, facing directly in front of his yami, hooked his arms under Yami no Bakura's arms and, Ryou's back against the tree, slowly pulled him up to his feet. Yami no Bakura's shaky legs tried to find their footing against the ground.

There was a shift in balance and Ryou was suddenly surprised to find himself pinned in between the tree and weight of Yami no Bakura's limp body; the dark soul's face was inches away from his own. Ryou's muscles froze as Yami no Bakura's almost black eyes stared into his own. Ryou's face grew hot.

"Hi," Ryou breathed nervously, trying to cover up the awkwardness.

"Hello," Yami no Bakura said very softly, dark eyes flashing. A shiver ran up Ryou's spine.

Something had changed. It was as though the ice and distance between them had melted after Yami no Bakura had sacrificed himself to save his light. Ryou could feel the difference. He had once felt fear looking into his darkness' eyes, now he couldn't look away.

"Are you just going to stand there?" Yami no Bakura asked casually. Ryou blinked, confused. Was there something else he was supposed to be doing?

'That's right, helping him up. I've got to do that…' Ryou thought numbly.

"R-right…" Ryou mumbled out loud, still staring into his dark personality's eyes. "Sorry," he added, smiling apologetically. Yami no Bakura grinned, his breath hitting his light's face. Ryou's stomach flipped.

Ryou leaned forward until Yami no Bakura was back on his feet then moved around to his darkness' side and, carefully avoiding putting any pressure on the wounds in his darkness' back, placed his arms around Yami no Bakura's waist and shoulders to support him. Yami no Bakura wrapped an arm around his light's slim waist so he could better support himself when they walked. Their bodies were very close together now; Ryou tried his best not to blush.

So with Ryou's help, Yami no Bakura turned around to face the others. Across the clearing, Yugi had already gotten Yami no Yugi to his feet.

"Alright," Yami no Bakura said, breathing harshly because of the wounds in his back. "This way." He and Ryou moved forward, Malik with his darker half on a leash and Yugi and Yami no Yugi followed after him.

The group trudged along at the slow pace, all dark sides struggling with their injures. After a while Yami no Bakura finally stopped.

"Its here," he announced. The group came to a halt beside him, the scenery around them looked no different, the trees kept going in all directions. Malik continued walking forward.

"Where?" Malik asked suspiciously. "I don't-" and he crashed right into something solid and bounced back. The invisible barrier made an unearthly echoing noise that sounded like a dull gong. Hairs stood up on the back Ryou's neck. Yami no Bakura pulled his arm off his host's back and reached forward to the place where Malik had crashed into the wall. His hand hit something cool, smooth and hard, he could feel the wall shudder beneath his pale fingers.

"What now?" Yugi asked, looking at Yami no Bakura.

"We pour as much shadow power as we can manage into the barrier and break it," Yami no Bakura announced grimly, placing both hands on the barrier. "There's only one of him and six of us, we _should_ be able to over power him." Malik and Ryou nodded in agreement and placed their hands against the invisible wall as well. Yugi and Yami no Yugi glanced at each other nervously and then followed suit.

Immediately the wall started vibrating like mad under their hands, ripples of distorted light shot across its surface high into the sky. The substance grew warm than hot, Ryou could feel the barrier flicker and writhe as though he were trying to hold onto wild flames.

"Don't give up! We almost have it!" Yami no Yugi encouraged, wincing himself. The wall began to whistle like high-pitched ringing. Ryou wanted to cover his ears.

"It's not working!" Yami no Bakura snarled, frustrated. "Where's Yami no Malik?" Without taking away his hands away from the illusion barrier, Yami no Bakura looked around to see Yami no Malik sitting on the ground by Malik's feet, not touching the barrier at all. "Malik! You said you had control of your darker side!" Yami no Bakura accused, shouting over the shrill whistling of the barrier growing steadily louder. Malik glanced down.

_What the hell are you doing? _Malik cried, struggling to keep his hold on the wall. _Help us!_ Yami no Malik didn't move, hunched over on the ground.

_No,_ he snapped._ I hope you all die,_ he hissed, demonic-like, face covered in shadow.

_If you don't help, we'll never get out of here, _Malik threatened. Yami no Malik scoffed coldly.

_And what am I supposed to do about that? You've taken away my power, _Yami no Malik protested.

"If you don't try, I'll take away _all_ you power, even your existence!" snarled Malik angrily. Yami no Malik looked up at his light pitifully.

"You can't do that…" Yami no Malik taunted sourly. "Even the power you've locked away is already causing you pain. There's no way you would be able to handle suppressing me entirely."

"I can try! Now help, you dark bastard!" Malik shrieked. Yami no Malik winced, then thought this over slowly in his mind, purposely taking a long time.

_If you release my power from your seal, I can transfer it to you_, Yami no Maliksuggested tauntingly, moving in beside his lighter half.

_I don't trust you! _Malik growled, struggling under the force of the protesting illusion barrier. _How do I know you'll help after I release your power? _

Yami no Malik grinned mischievously. _You don't. But if you do nothing all your energy will be wasted here and you'll never get out of this world. _Malik grunted, his hands burning.

"Malik!" Yami no Bakura shrieked, eyes livid. "We need that power NOW!" Malik flinched, he had no choice. The compressed and restrained anger he had buried deep in his heart, shot back up in a burning wave, Malik's brain felt like it was boiling over with hatred. Behind him, Yami no Malik breathed refreshed, the rich copper color flowing back into his face.

_Don't let go of the wall,_ Yami no Malik instructed. Then before Malik could protest, Yami no Malik stood directly behind his light and pressed his body up against Malik's back. Malik cringed in disgust.

_Get the fuck off me! _Malik shouted angrily. Yami no Malik grinned. He leaned forward so his mouth was right up against Malik's ear.

_Don't let go, main personality-sama,_ Yami no Malik taunted sickeningly, licking the edge of Malik's ear. Power tore up Malik's body as it surged in through Malik's blood and shot right into the wall. Malik screamed out in pain and the barrier shrieked still more loudly. Then suddenly there was a swift snap as the tension broke, a moment of dead silence and frozen time right before the barrier shattered. Within a second, the world around them exploded in light, skin felt like it was on fire then suddenly cold again and then all light and thought vanished.

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The familiar stench of moist earth was all around them and cool sand was beneath their feet. Malik opened his eyes to find himself, Yugi, Ryou, and all their dark sides standing in the same room they had been in before, the cave-like under ground temple in Kuru Eruna village. Torches hanging on the walls providing dim light. Malik winced and leaned up against a nearby wall for support. That last action of Yami no Malik had wiped him of all his remaining energy.

'Shit, that _hurt_!' Malik thought fiercely, glaring furiously at his darker half across the room.

/We made it back/ Yami no Yugi said relived. He was back to his old transparent self again and as Ryou looked down at his hands so was he.

"Of course, did you expect my plan to fail?" Yami no Bakura said smoothly, standing up straight and healthy. All their wounds from the previous battle were gone; Yami no Bakura and Yami no Yugi were both standing on their own two feet quite steadily. Ryou examined his arm and found no trace of his wound was left.

'It's like it had never happened,' Ryou thought as he looked down at his watch, seeing the seconds tick away.

"Welcome back," a deep familiar voice greeted in the shadows. Everyone turned to see the same man who had trapped them in the illusion forest world emerge from the shadows, linen cloak sweeping the floor.

/Bastard, you almost killed us/ Yami no Malik snarled.

The ghostly Egyptian bent on one knee, hand over his breast as though he was bowing to them. "I apologize for my rudeness before, I had to find out if you were all truly worthy of the powers of darkness," he explained. "I am pleased that you have all managed to pass the first test."

"Test?" Yugi asked curiously. "You mean you gave us that riddle at the beginning on purpose?"

/We were never supposed to kill each other/ Yami no Yugi commented suspiciously.

"Exactly," the old Egyptian said, standing up again. Yami no Bakura snorted in annoyance, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Wait, you said _first_ test. You mean there's more!" Malik exclaimed outraged, still leaning against the wall for support. The man nodded.

"There is one other stage you must make it through before you can receive the dark power," the man began stepping slowly out of the shadows, white robes hanging loosely around him. "You should also know, after that test my mission as a guardian will be completed. There will be no need for me to remain here any longer but I shall feel at ease knowing the five chosen ones have gathered together again after such a long time."

"Chosen ones?" Ryou repeated confused.

/Five/ Yami no Yugi questioned skeptically. Yugi turned to his dark side.

_What does he mean by five? There are six of us, aren't there? _Yugi asked, puzzled. Yami no Yugi frowned, eyes scrutinizing the mysterious man in front of them.

_He could only be counting the ones with actually bodies but then there should be three of us, the numbers still don't add up, _Yami no Yugi said silently to Yugi.

_Maybe he's counting both Maliks as one person,_ Yugi suggested. Yami no Malik's transparent ghost was standing on the opposite side of the room to his host, pale eyes wide and watching sickly.

_Maybe…_ Yami no Yugi pondered darkly.

"Let the second game begin," the man announced casually. At the sound of his voice, a shiver ran through the air. Six different doorways suddenly materialized around the stone wall of the circular room. "The next test will be harder than the last," the man continued in the same emotionless tone. "You must all face this next challenge alone."

/Alone/ Ryou asked. /Even without our opposite halves/

"Of course," the Egyptian clarified. "Each of you must take a separate path." He motioned to the six doorways. Yugi looked over at his darker half fearfully.

"We're being split up," Yugi said, voice trembling.

"What is beyond these paths?" Malik questioned. "What sort of things will we have to face?" The man shrugged.

"Whatever horrors the powers of darkness wishes to test you," the man answered simply. "Not even I know what they hold."

"Darkness, hm?" Yami no Bakura repeated, a malicious grin spreading across his face.

/And at the end/ Yami no Yugi said harshly, stepping towards the man challengingly. /We will meet up with our other halves again? You will promise us this/

"If both of you make it through your tests alive then you will meet each other again," the man answered. Ryou glanced over at his darker half nervously. Without hesitation, black overcoat hanging majestically off his tall shoulders, Yami no Bakura approached one of the first doorways. Ryou watched anxiously, hands clenching and unclenching. Yami no Bakura stopped right in front of the doorway and turned, his sharp dark eyes finding Ryou immediately. Ryou's breath caught in his throat.

What was this feeling? Kind of an electric jolt tingling his nerves. Almost as if he had been silently ordered, Ryou walked forward to the doorway to left of Yami no Bakura's.

"Ryou-kun," Yugi said, watching his friend eyes wide in surprise.

"Come on, Yugi-kun," Ryou said supportively. "As soon as we get through this task, it will all be over. We'll be joined with our darker halves and then we can all go home." Yugi glanced over at his Yami.

_Mou hitori no boku,_ Yugi called.

_Don't worry, aibou, _Yami no Yugi encouraged, taking his lighter half's hand. _We'll get through this. _Yugi smiled and then he and his dark side approached the two doors at Ryou's left. Malik was about to walk forward as well when Yami no Malik suddenly grabbed his arm.

_Wait,_ he ordered but Malik tore his arm out his darkness' hold.

"Don't touch me!" Malik snapped hatefully and stomped towards his own door. Yami no Malik was left in the center of the room alone, eyes watching his lighter half walk heatedly away.

_Main personality-sama..._ Yami no Malik hissed. Malik ignored his protests, facing his doorway stubbornly, refusing to acknowledge his darkness. Yugi and Ryou watched the scene with confusion.

"Malik," Yugi said tentatively. "Yami no Malik hasn't moved."

"He can stay here, for all I care!" Malik snarled, eyes fixed ahead at his doorway. Yami no Malik's face fell, twisted and veined with hurt, it was pitiful.

"You must enter a door," the guardian of the temple instructed from behind Yami no Malik, cold empty eyes boring into his back. "If you choose to surrender now, I will have no choice but to take your soul." Yami no Malik gave the man an equally cold, murderous look and scuttled over towards the only remaining door. Malik did not even look up as he passed.

"Now," the servant of Osiris began. "Enter your doors." Ryou and his darker side walked immediately forward, the wall between them cutting off their sight of each other. Yugi and his Yami only let go of each other's hand at the last moment.

_See you on the other side, mou hitori no boku,_ Yugi called through the wall.

_Right, aibou,_ Yami no Yugi said firmly. Malik charged recklessly forward, not because he wanted to get the challenge over with but because he wanted get as far away from his darker half as possible.

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EEEEEEEEE! I'M SO EXCITED! I _love_ the next chapter! And the one after that! And the one after that! _And_ the one after that! (squeals)

Yeah, that summery last chapter really didn't have anything to do with what actually happened but (shrug) it made you want to read it, _right?_

See why this chapter was so shitty to write. I was like "Yay! They can get out the forest now… ah… how are they getting out of the forest again?" Yeah that took about a month. But the RyouXBakura-ness didn't take long to write at all… no way. Heehee. I love those two, they are so _cute_!

And Malik's allowed to be stupid because he had a traumatic childhood. (pats Malik on the head)

But WOOT! They are FINALLY out of that silly illusion world thing! Only took them…4 chapters! Now onto the cool stuff! Did I mention I love the next chapter?

**Next Chapter:** I don't know if I should tell you anything… maybe it should all be a surprise. Ok, ok, Yugi's alone, Yami gets tricked, Ryou's fighting, Malik's running. Yami no Malik's… well yeah. But what the fuck is Yami no Bakura doing? This doesn't make any sense!

Now **REVIEW**! Because my summery skills are awesome! Like my Reviewers. Unlike you pond scum who don't bother to review. That's right, POND SCUM! **POND SCUM! **(makes threatening gestures)

**REVIEW! **


	20. Dark Room of Nightmares

Okay so I got this review from this person called: " **-.-** " who said:

" ...it's good but...I don't know, Yami no Yugi is too...whiney. "

That's a fine review. As I've said before I love constructive criticism but if you are going to give me a comment like that at least give me a chance to discuss it! Myresponse to this person would be: "What do you mean whiny? Do you mean, he's fawning too much over Yugi or that he's too concerned about Bakura? Or is he complaining too much? Give me some examples, please. (Gross! I sound like my teacher!)" But honestly, how am I supposed to correct my mistake if I don't know what my reviewers are talking about? I want to improve! On the other hand… YAY! MY FIRST SLIGHTLY NON-POSITIVE REVIEW! (does a dance)

This week really sucks. Like I should really not be doing this. I need to work. I got so many projects… I should have done this last weekend… or next but that would have been even worse. ARG! Better get it done quick then.

Good news! I only have two more weeks of school and then I'm practically DONE! DONE! YAY!

NOTE: A lot of these scenes were influenced by the manga. If you haven't read the manga, you should, but for now just go with the flow.

This chapter brought to you by the fact that Yami no Malik actually carved off his father's back in the manga and gave it to Rishido. Eeeewww… creepy…

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**Chyaputa 20: Dark Room of Nightmares**

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Barely five feet into his chosen doorway, a cold wash of air passed over Yugi's body making him shiver. He could no longer feel anyone else's presence, not even the faintest echo of his other half's thoughts. Yugi stopped in his tracts, stunned by the emptiness in his mind and in his thoughts. His hands were trembling, fear was closing in upon his heart. 

He knew he was completely alone.

'Mou hitori no boku,' Yugi tried calling to his other half but there was no answer, their precious mind link had dissolved. Yugi stood there trembling for a few seconds in the dark, confused and frightened. 'What do I do?' Yugi asked the darkness. Could he go back? Yugi turned around and saw nothing but darkness behind him as well, the circular room with its merrily burning torches was gone. Yugi gulped and faced forward again. He could see nothing behind him and nothing in front of him, his ears only picked up the pulsing of his own heart, like he was trapped in a black void.

'I have no choice then,' Yugi said to himself firmly, hands balled into fists determinedly at his side. 'I have to continue forward.' Yugi took a step towards the darkness, his foot echoing dully on the cold stone floor. He forced his feet to walk steadily forward, one foot carefully placed in front of the other to make sure he was walking in a straight line. Suddenly he crashed into something hard and solid.

"A wall?" Yugi said out loud, voice echoing eerily in the empty air. He ran his hands across the barrier's smooth solid surface.

'I'll just have to go around it,' Yugi thought to himself. He turned to his left and walked along the edge of the wall, his hand dragging across its surface as he passed. Rather suddenly, to Yugi's surprise, the wall ended. Yugi turned right, now he was facing the same direction he had been in when he had entered the corridor in the first place. Yugi walked forward and almost immediately walked into another wall.

'What's with all these walls?' Yugi asked frustrated, examining this new wall with his hands, unable to see. It too ended shortly, cut by a 90 degree angel to form yet another corridor.

'This is…' Yugi thought in terror, realization hitting him.

"A maze."

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Malik was running as fast as he could down the hall, flying passed the walls on either side of him. Suddenly he realized there was a second set of footsteps echoing along the corridor with his own. Had his Yami followed him down this doorway? No, the footsteps seemed to be coming from the path ahead of him. Malik ran faster trying to catch up to the person. The stone hallway he was in turned a sharp corner, Malik turned around it and stopped dead in his tracts.

The person standing ahead of him was his sister, Ishizu Ishtar.

"Ne-san?" Malik gaped. But it couldn't be her, she was dead and besides she was totally the wrong age. The Ishizu standing in front of him was a teenager, somewhere between 15 or 16 years old.

"Be quiet," she hissed, putting a finger to her lips. She sounded like his sister.

"But you're dead..." Malik protested weakly. Ishizu threw him a harsh look.

"Do you want Chichiue to find out we've been to the outside!" she snapped, voice barely above a whisper.

"Outside?" Malik repeated, a feeling of familiar horror grasping his heart.

"No one can find out where we've been, its forbidden to go outside the village, remember?" she continued as though there had been no interruption. "Now, come on, let's check on Rishido..."

There was a scream from down the hallway. Malik's ears were ringing. This scene was all too familiar.

"What was that?" Ishizu said, losing her quiet tone. She sounded afraid. "Rishido?" She turned away from Malik and started running back down the hallway again, long black hair swinging.

"No, Ne-san!" Malik shouted. "You can't go in there!"

'No, not today. Not this day. No please...' Malik screamed inside his head. Despite his better judgment, Malik broke into a run, following his sibling down the stone corridor. 'Not this day, anything but this day...' They reached an all too familiar door.

"Ne-san, please don't go in there!" Malik pleaded even though he knew it was hopeless. Ishizu acted as though she couldn't hear him."Ne-san please..." Ishizu looked inside of it and gasped, hands flying up to cover her mouth. There was another scream from inside the room. Malik couldn't stop himself from looking.

Rishido was lying on the floor; harsh burns covered his back, skin charred in black and white blisters. The smell of blood and burning flesh stung Malik's nose and made him feel like he was going to hurl. He was getting dizzy.

"No, no, no, no..." Malik protested. He ordered his feet to move, to run away from the scene but his limbs wouldn't listen.

"Malik, Ishizu..." a deep fierce voice said. Malik looked up to see his father standing Rishido's lifeless body, two red hot pokers in his dark hands. His murderous mad eyes found his son and Malik froze terrified to the spot. "Look at this servant! This is what happens to you if you break one of the clan's rules!" Ishizu cried out, a frightened sob escaping her lips from behind her hands. Malik's light violet eyes were fixed upon the fatally wounded Egyptian on the floor.

"Rishido..." Malik said, voice shaking.

'Please, not again. I don't want to see this again...'

"Malik, your punishment is next!" his father growled, walking toward Malik, hot pokers raised.

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Yami no Yugi continued down his hallway for quite some time after he lost contact with his light. The corridor made no turns, continuing straight onward, low burning candles dimly lit the space, their wax dripping onto the floor. Finally Yami no Yugi reached a large open room also dimly lit. Shadows hung menacingly in every corner but he wasn't fooled, Yami no Yugi could feel someone watching him.

"Come out! Stop hiding like a coward in the shadows and face me!" Yami no Yugi demanded the empty room. "I will not be intimidated by this darkness." There was a low chuckle from the shadows across the room. Yami no Yugi's gazed hardened.

"I would expect nothing less from the omniscient king of games," a voice said. A dark figure emerged from the shadows, slick as water. Its black cloak trailing on the stone floor hid all its features. Yami no Yugi scoffed coldly, crossing his arms over his chest.

"You are still hiding in disguises," Yami no Yugi growled. "Face me honorably." The dark figure laughed again as it slowly drew closer.

"I'm sorry but this cloak is not for my protection but for your own," the figure explained apolitically, its cold voice echoing from the folds of the fabric. Yami no Yugi snorted.

"I canhandle any face you hold," Yami no Yugi said coolly. "You are here to challenge me, aren't you? Hurry up and take off your mask."

"Very well, since you insisted," the figure chuckled again. A hand appeared from within the cloak, rose and then swept its large hood away from its face. Yami no Yugi saw it and his throat tightened, mouth open in horror.

The creature had Yugi's face, down to every last detail.

"Aibou!" Yami no Yugi exclaimed, taking a step forward, losing his cool composure immediately. "What are you doing here? How did you get into my doorway?" The Yugi in front of him grinned. A cold wicked, very un-Yugi-like grin.

"You've forgotten yourself," the Yugi hissed, his voice sharp and icy. "I am not your partner." Yami no Yugi stopped in his tracts, face sketched with confusion.

"I don't understand…" Yami no Yugi said. The creature with Yugi's face cackled harshly, purple eyes unkind.

"When you and your partner entered the darkness' judgement, you both left your body behind," the darkness demon explained. "So I took it as my new host! It fits me perfectly, now that there isn't any souls inside of it," the creature chuckled.

"You bastard!" Yami no Yugi snarled angrily. "I said to show me your true face!"

"This is my true face," the creature answered simply, Yugi's purple eyes staring at him coldly. "Why? Does it bother you that I look like your _precious_ companion?" Yami no Yugi would not answer he was to busy fuming with anger.

"I shall _not_ forgive you," Yami no Yugi growled. The creature shrugged, using Yugi's mouth to smirk maliciously.

"Let's begin. If you can beat me in a shadow game I'll give your companion his body back," his opponent explained smoothly in Yugi's voice.

"Name your game," Yami no Yugi spat rudely.

"How about Duel Monsters?" the creature suggested carelessly. "A prefect game for our situation."

"How is it prefect?" Yami no Yugi asked coldly, hands forming fists at his side. He was angry at himself for being tricked by this fake. This creature, this thing of darkness was _not_ his light, not his partner. Then why was it that every time the creature moved or spoke his heart jolted like when he was talking to Yugi?

'He is _not_ aibou!' Yami no Yugi said more firmly. A table grew out of the dark floor, a chair at either end, one for Yami no Yugi and one for his opponent.

"Do you know how Duel Monsters game was created?" the Yugi look-a-like asked mildly, sitting down at his end of the table.

"A company in America made them," Yami no Yugi commented coldly, sitting down as well. The creature grinned icily.

"A man named Pegasus J. Crawford invented them after he visited Egypt," the thing with Yugi's face answered. "He came to this very temple and was inspired by the pictographs on the wall and the scenes of monsters destroying cities."

"Pegasus?" Yami no Yugi questioned forcefully.

'There was a man in the mental hospital named Pegasus with aibou,' Yami no Yugi remembered. The creature grinned as though he could guess what Yami no Yugi was thinking.

"On with the game," his opponent said. A deck of cards appeared at each end of the table. Yami no Yugi drew five cards from the top of his deck.

"How do I know you haven't filled my deck with bad cards?" Yami no Yugi questioned suspiciously. The creature with Yugi's face shrugged.

"Either way you'll have to use them," he said carelessly.

Yami no Yugi scowled bitterly. 'Then I've got to finish this game as soon as possible...'he thought. 'I need to get out here and find aibou.'

"I'll go first," Yami no Yugi said and drew another card from his deck.

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Yami no Bakura strode forcefully forward, his feet dragging through hungry tendrils of darkness that tried to grasp him. He waved them off carelessly as though they were nothing but threads of smoke. A room appeared before him, its walls painted the familiar blinding white color of the mental hospital. Yami no Bakura scowled.

"This annoying place again?" he cursed hatefully. There was a figure lying in the middle of the white floor. Yami no Bakura drew closer and discovered it was Malik. He was wearing a straight jacket and what looked like an electric collar on his neck.

"Ne-san?" Malik cried on the floor, his voice weak, his violet eyes pleading. "What did I do wrong? Are you trying to kill me, Ne-san? Am I going to die in this hospital?" Yami no Bakura smirked and crouched down next to Malik's whimpering form.

"Sorry, Malik. Your Ne-san isn't here," Yami no Bakura taunted, dark eyes widening in anticipation. "Was this part of your treatment? Electric shock therapy?" Yami no Bakura chuckled. "But I'll do you a favor and help get this useless trinket off your neck…" Yami no Bakura's pale fingers curled under the golden electric collar. Malik screamed as the collar sprung into life, burning electric currents shooting into his copper skin. Yami no Bakura protected his own hand from being shocked by coating it with a layer of shadow power. Finally, with one last sharp yank the fastening on the collar snapped and Bakura extracted the trinket from around Malik's neck.

"I'll take this now," Yami no Bakura hissed staring down at the golden necklace, grinning insanely.

The image of Malik lying broken on the floor shattered into a million pieces.

"Are you going to show me something else, Yami-sama?" Yami no Bakura growled. The room went very dark and then a light shined at the end of the hall. Yami no Bakura approached the light warily.

There was a painting of a beautiful woman at the end of the corridor. She had long blonde hair and a light blue frilly dress that rippled eerily within the two-dimensional canvass.

"It's you, is it?" Yami no Bakura scoffed coldly, looking unimpressed.

"Darling," the woman called to him in English, opening her arms to Bakura lovingly. She had a very pretty face. "Let's go home, darling."

"Too bad," Yami no Bakura snapped coldly. "You husband doesn't remember you. You are calling to an empty shell, Cynthia." Yami no Bakura smirked, emotionless eyes flashing. He pressed his hand up against the portrait and threw his dark energy into the painting, threading it through the canvas. The woman screamed shrilly, as her picture was ripped viciously apart.

"Now if you would be kind enough to give me what I came for…" Yami no Bakura growled coldly. The painting exploded into bright blue flames, the woman's painful shrieks grew louder and then finally stopped. The golden frame of the picture melted into a hissing lump on the floor at Bakura's feet.

A perfectly round bubble expanded from the golden rapidly cooling mess, but it did not finally explode like the others did. Instead it rolled off the rest of the melted metal and onto the floor. Without hesitation, Yami no Bakura picked this round golden ball from the ground. It was cool enough to hold. Yami no Bakura rolled it over in his hands and saw a golden eye carved into one side of it.

Yami no Bakura smirked and pocketed the round object.

"Two down," he mused, anticipation glowing in his dark eyes. He continued passed the ruined painting and down his stone hallway.

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Ryou walked out of his hallway and found what looked like a castle stone courtyard. There were walls like a fortress all around him and a two sets of stone steps in front of him both leading to the castle's great iron doors.

"Where am I?" Ryou asked himself, looking around curiously. The sky above looked liked it had been pieced together with red and blue blotches of paint. Ryou shivered, it looked creepy. He noticed something that looked like a sign on the other side of the courtyard. He walked over to it and found that it was a large mirror. As Ryou caught sight of his reflection inside of it, he gasped.

His clothing had changed drastically. Ryou was now wearing white robes with golden yellow trim around the edges and a white hat. There was a golden yellow ankh on the front of his tabard and on the front of his hat. The top of golden staff in his hand also resembled an ankh.

"What the?" Ryou muttered in awe, examining himself in the mirror. He recognized the clothing; he was dressed as his favorite character the White Mage in Monster World. At one of Ryou's first mental hospitals one of the nurses had showed him the Table Top RPG game called Monster World and taught him to play. He had fallen in love with the game almost immediately.

'That's when the trouble started...' Ryou thought to himself, dark depressed thoughts creeping back into his mind. 'I never wanted to stop, it was so fun. Then the nurses and other patients I played against started tolose consciousness after they played with me, most went into comas.' Ryou gulped some sick feeling of guilt back down into his stomach. 'If I hadn't wanted to play so bad maybe those people wouldn't have gotten hurt.' He looked down at his golden staff, brown eyes thoughtful in remembrance.

'Wait!' Ryou thought, an idea hitting him. 'If I'm dressed as the White Mage then I must be in Monster World!'

All the sudden there was a flash light above him. Ryou looked up to see words carving themselves over the mirror, jagged and rough as though they had been scratched there by an invisible hand.

_Its True Name is the Key_

"True name?" Ryou repeated.

The doors the castle burst violently open, clinging desperately to their hinges. Ryou turned around, apprehension growing in his stomach. Out of the gigantic doorway, a huge thing, ten times the size of Ryou stepped out, a gust of fowl smelling wind in its wake.

The thing's shape slightly resembled a man, only more grotesque. It had huge muscles covering every inch of its tight flesh, dark grayish green skin and on top of a thick neck sat a gruesome head that looked more like the skull of some carnivorous beast, orbs of fiery red glowing within its eye sockets. It had huge white teeth and carried a long heavy black cape around its spiked shoulders. Ryou gaped in horror, his face going very pale.

"Z-Zork the Dark Master..." Ryou mouthed barely above a whisper. When playing Monster World you were either the Dark Master or one of the adventurers. The Dark Master controlled all the evil creatures and characters while the adventures tried to take him down. In the game, the final evil character was always Zork the Dark Master.

'Does this mean that I have to defeat Zork?' Ryou thought, limbs still frozen to the spot. 'But I'm only one adventurer! To defeat the Dark Master it takes a whole group of adventures working together! I can't defeat the Dark Master all by myself!'

Zork's red eyes had spotted Ryou's tiny white figure. The Dark Master faced his open palm towards the White Mage. Ryou knew this stance, he knew what was coming.

"S-shinning Shield Level 13!" Ryou cried, placing his golden staff directly in front of himself. There was a flash of white light at the same moment when Zork aimed a large brilliant fireball at the White Mage. The air around Ryou shuddered and then exploded as Ryou was thrown back against the wall from the force of Zork's attack.

Pain ached in Ryou's muscles as he slid onto the floor. He was breathing hard, brain working fast trying to remember anything he could about the game of Monster World that would help him defeat Zork. What bothered him the most was that Ryou had felt the enormous heat from that fireball attack and the pain in his back from being thrown against the wall was definitely real.

'If he hits me with his attack and I'll lose all my Health Points, I'll die...' Ryou realized. Zork was turning to face him again. Ryou pulled himself off the wall, kicked furiously off the ground and ran, sweaty trembling hands clutching desperately to his staff.

"I'll die..." Ryou repeated numbly.

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Yugi's fingers and toes had gone stingingly numb with cold. There was no heat in the darkness and the further Yugi walked the worse it seemed to get. Yugi's numb needle filled hands could barely tell if there was a wall in front of him or not anymore. He had lost his sense of direction hours ago and was now wandering aimlessly in the dark. Walls appeared out of nowhere and the sound of his own strained ragged breathing was the only way Yugi still knew he was alive.

Finally Yugi's hands failed to warn him that there was a wall in front of him and Yugi slammed his knees painfully against it. Yugi collapsed on the cold stone floor, his empty skull banged on the hard surface. Yugi lay there for a moment, or maybe for hours, time didn't exist anymore, his shivering body molding into the hard floor.

'Am I going to die here?' Yugi asked himself. His breathing slowed. He couldn't tell if his eyes were open or not, there wasn't any difference.

'Mou hitori no boku... I'm sorry... I only wish I could to see you again…'

Maybe his mind was playing tricks on him but as Yugi lay there he thought the darkness was thinning out to form faint shapes around him. He thought he could see the corner of a wall hovering above him.

'See...' Yugi thought slowly, his brain started to move again. 'If I can see that, then there must be some light... somewhere...' Yugi stared desperately around. He thought the darkness seemed a little less in the path to the left of him. Too weak to get to his feet, Yugi crawled down the left path, numb clumsily hands slipping on the cold floor.

The light was definitely lessening now, Yugi crawled faster, heavy breathing drying out his parched throat.

He turned a corner and then he saw it. A small piece of gold was lying on the floor in the middle of the path. There was a faint glow of golden light radiating off its surface that seemed painfully bright to Yugi's starved eyes. He picked up the piece with trembling fingers. It was warm to the touch. He held the small piece of gold in his hands, letting his warmth bring the feeling back to his fingers.

Slowly he pulled himself to his feet, the tiny glowing piece hugged tightly to his chest. He continued onward down the winding twisting paths, no longer walking into walls. A little way ahead, Yugi saw the same faint glow to a path to his right. He turned and found another piece of this mysterious golden metal. He picked that one up as well, now a double amount of light was guiding him onward.

He had found three more pieces, his collection leading him steadily down the twists and turns of the dark maze. Now that it was lighter Yugi noticed how each of the golden pieces had its own unique shape yet all the pieces had edges and corners in right angles.

'Its like they're supposed to fit together,' Yugi thought, moving the pieces around in his hand. 'Like a puzzle.'

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"I sacrifice my Gemini Elf and my face down defense monster to summon, Serpent Night Dragon," Yugi announced. No, not Yugi, the creature who had stolen his aibou's face. Yami no Yugi had to keep reminding himself he wasn't fighting his aibou. His opponent took his two monsters off the table top and placed his 2300 ATK monster on the field. "And I think," the Yugi look-a-like mused, eyes narrowed. "I'll attack that face down monster of yours." Yami no Yugi flipped his defense monster, it was Giant Soldier of Stone, 2000 DEF, and placed it his graveyard.

"My turn," Yami no Yugi said and drew a card from his deck.

"Did you know that the pictographs in this temple actually tell a story?" Yami no Yugi's opponent said. "Apparently there was a time 3000 years ago in ancient Egypt when there were real monsters."

"You should focus on your strategy, instead of telling useless stories," Yami no Yugi advised coldly. The Yugi across the table from him raised an eyebrow.

"Its quite an interesting story actually," the creature continued, smirking. "The priests released these monster's from stone tablets, kind of like how we're using cards, huh?" Yami no Yugi frowned.

"I summon Elf Swordsman," Yami no Yugi announced. The evil Yugi snorted.

"Did you forget? Your monster's ATK is only 1400. Even with an equip card you'd never get close to my monster's attack!" Yugi laughed. Yami no Yugi's tight mouth broke into a smirk.

"Is that so?" the darker half of Yugi questioned coldly, red eyes glinting dangerously. "I play Megamorph and equip it my Elf Swordsman. As long as my Life Points are lower than yours, my monster's attack is doubled." Yami no Yugi folded his arms coolly. "Your Serpent Night Dragon is destroyed."

Yugi shrugged and moved his monster into the graveyard. "But my Life Points go down 500 points making them lower than yours so Elf Swordsman's ATK is halved to 700. You've left yourself defenseless, how very careless of you."

"I place a face down card on the field and end my turn," Yami no Yugi said.

Yugi, not Yugi, grinned. "A trap, is it?" he asked casually. "Its rather obvious for you, I'm disappointed. Are you holding back cause you're afraid of hurting your lighter half's body?"

"Make your move," Yami no Yugi growled. Yugi grinned.

"I summon Neo the Magic Swordsman and then I play a magic card, Mystical Space Typhoon! That will get rid of your annoying trap card," Yugi announced smugly.

Yami no Yugi grinned, his stony indifferent expression disappearing. "You stepped into my trap. I use Tailor of the Fickle as a chain effect to your Mystical Space Typhoon."

"What?" Yugi hissed angrily. Yami no Yugi smirked.

"Tailor of the Fickle lets me move one equip card to any monster I want. I choose to transfer the power of Megamorph to _your_ monster, Neo the Magic Swordsman. And since my Life Points are higher than yours, your monster's attack drops to 850 and my Elf Swordsman is returned its original 1400 ATK." Yugi scowled, eyes half lidded in annoyance.

"A trap behind a trap, huh?" he muttered, bad tempered. "Very well, I end my turn." Yami no Yugi drew a card.

"I sacrifice Elf Swordsmanto summon Curse of Dragon. I attack your Neo the Magic Swordsmen," Yami no Yugi said.

"Yes, yes, and my Life Points go down to 1550," Yugi drawled, almost as though he were bored. "Say, mou hitori no boku, let's make this more interesting?" fake Yugi asked grinning darkly. "How about we bring this shadow game up a level?"

"What are you talking about?" Yami no Yugi questioned. Not Yugi smirked.

"Come on, it'll be fun," he taunted. "Right, mou hitori no boku?"

"Don't you call me that. You are not aibou!" Yami no Yugi barked angrily. The Yugi across the table gazed at Yami no Yugi, a strange unstable light dancing in his purple eyes.

"Did you know, mou hitori no boku, the monsters in ancient Egypt were summoned using dark magic, like the kind you and Bakura-kun and Malik-kun have?" Yugi asked changing subjects rapidly, purple eyes glinting dangerously.

"Stop," Yami no Yugi ordered sternly, stomach clenching uncomfortably. "Stop talking like him." He could see his aibou talking to him in his mind's eye, Yami no Yugi could see his smiling face through those cold purple eyes.

"They were originally created to protect the city against invaders but then one day the monsters fell into the wrong hands and starting attacking the city and the people," Yugi explained offhandedly. "Isn't that interesting, mou hitori-"

"You are not aibou!" Yami no Yugi cried furiously, losing his patience. "It's your turn, go!" Yugi smirked, emotionless eyes leering at him.

"As you wish," fake Yugi taunted, eyes flashing maliciously. "I flip my face down monster, Princess Tsurugi," Yugi announced triumphantly. "Its special effect is to give you 500 points of direct damage to your Life Points for every magic and trap card on your side of the field, and you since you have three, that's 1500 points of direct damage to your Life Points."

It felt as though a knife had pierced Yami no Yugi's chest. He cried out and fell onto the table, oxygen exploding into his injured lungs.

"What did you do?" Yami no Yugi growled, hand clutching at his rapidly beating heart. His chest hurt, it really _physically_ hurt. Yugi chuckled; there was no kindness or softness in those familiar eyes.

"I told you, I'm making the game more interesting. Now every time we go down in Life Points we'll feel the pain of our monsters," Yugi explained, sickeningly gleeful.

"And what will happen when one of us loses?" Yami no Yugi asked apprehensively.

"They'll die, of course," Yugi said obviously. Yami no Yugi growled.

"I never agreed to this! You can't just change the rules half way through our game!" Yami no Yugi snarled. The pain in his chest was not going away but spreading dully through his muscles. Yugi's eyes narrowed ominously, dark shadows were twisting around his face.

"You agreed to a shadow game, my shadow game, and I'll change the rules if I want to," Yugi cackled, purple eyes dancing menacingly. "Your turn, mou hitori no boku," he taunted.

'He really means to kill me,' Yami no Yugi realized straightening up in his chair. 'Aibou really means to kill me… No!' he corrected himself forcefully. 'He is not aibou! And I will defeat him for stealing aibou's body!'

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EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! I love this chapter. There's just so much stuff happening! 

Yeah, red-hot pokers are scarier than a whip. The manga in that scene was so graphic. Ew.

So it wasn't all from the manga, got a little bit of Doom arch squeezed in there. That was the only good thing about Doom arch. Well, Amelda was awesome. He's the coolest girl-man I know.

Sorry for having a duel. I really really didn't want one but it makes sense for Yami and the story line. OH! Did you notice? The duel… has no… HOLOGRAMS! MWAHAHAHAHA!

Anyone remember Pegasus? I remember Pegasus. That guy was annoying.

Oh yeah, when Yami no Bakura says, "_Are you going to show me something else, Yami-sama?_" he's talking directly to the darkness. That's "Yami-sama", in case you were confused.

NEXT CHAPTER! Oh no! Malik's in trouble and Yami no Malik really isn't helping. Ryou's in deep shit as well but Yami no Bakura is a little too distracted by his own past predicament to notice. **JOUNOUCHI AND KAIBA RETURN!** (dances with happiness)

You see I've noticed something. The more I insult my readers, the more they review. About a third of my reviews last time mentioned "Pond Scum".

So does that mean I have to insult people to get them to review? I'm confused.

**REVIEW! **

Pwease? This week is going to suck… really really bad.

**REVIEW!**


	21. Castle of Dark Illusions

No, no, I'm not late, I still got an hour of the weekend left! ...right?

Okay so I was reading my reviews and a lot of them were like "Oh, Ryou's obviously going to get the key." And I'm like, what? Where did that come from? Why would you think that? And I couldn't figure it out but then I read over the chapter again and realized, the White Mage's gold staff, right? Crap! I didn't even see that coming.

Um… where's Yami no Malik you ask? Ah… um… (panics)

I can't believe it… school for me… is officially… _OVER_! (does happy dancings) Now I can focus all of my time on _writing_! And getting a job…

Oh and in case I forgot to say it before: "Chichiue" in Japanese is an extremely honorable way of saying father. Most characters in anime/manga that I've seen who use that word usually are the son/daughter of a King or Lord or Emperor or something. Malik calls his father Chichiue.

This chapter brought to you by: OMFG THEY'RE BACK! JOUNOUCHI AND KAIBA ARE BACK! YAY! I love those guys.

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**Chyaputa 21: Castle of Dark Illusions**

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Jounouchi walked out the doctor's office that day, glowing with happiness. He couldn't keep a smug grin off his face even as he winced down the hallway. His cast had finally been removed and he was free to once again walk on his own. True, his left leg was still a little weak and he had to go to physical therapy once every day to build its strength back up but still he was free. He was finally free.

And he already knew the first person he was going to show it off to. Jounouchi hummed as he approached his room, ready to brag to Kaiba his success.

"Hey Kaiba, guess what?" Jounouchi said cheerfully as he entered the room, still grinning but as his brown eyes landed on his roommate his mood dropped extremely.

Kaiba was standing across the room no longer wearing his white hospital uniform but a crisp business looking dress shirt and pants with a dark blue trench coat over top. There was a metal briefcase lying open on Kaiba's bed, most of his stuff already packed inside it.

"I see you got your cast off," Kaiba said casually, not looking at the blonde. Jounouchi shook himself, he had practically forgot.

"Ah… yeah, I did," he mumbled. It seemed stupid, even trivial now to be celebrating over such a silly little thing. "It's not perfect but at least I don't need help walking anymore."

Kaiba made a small snort. "Good thing too," he said coldly, packing his things as he talked. Neither one of them said anything for a while. Jounouchi was afraid to speak.

"So, you're leaving, are you?" Jounouchi asked trying to keep his voice casual.

"Yeah," Kaiba said shortly. It was really starting to annoy Jounouchi that Kaiba didn't even have courtesy to look at him.

"I thought your name was near the bottom of the list, your medical case wasn't even going to be looked over for another five months," Jounouchi said, eyeing his roommate suspiciously. "You slip some money under the table or something?"

Since the death of Ishizu Ishtar and the Head of the Hospital, the mental hospital had come under new management. After finding some hushed up projects hidden within the Red Wing the new staff had decided to re-examine every single patient's file that had ever been submitted into the hospital's care. Of course this process would take a long time; some patients would have to wait at least a year. Jounouchi had known that he and Kaiba weren't going to be looked at for least another six months, which was fine with Jounouchi, he had nowhere to go anyway.

"They made me an exception since I have a company to run," Kaiba corrected coolly. "And after they looked over the evidence Yugi gave me, it didn't take much persuasion to get them to agree that I was in perfect mental health." Jounouchi scowled, he was really getting irritated now.

"Bastard, it's not fair. Being treated special just cause you own a company," Jounouchi growled moodily.

"What? Are you in a rush to get out now? I thought you wanted to stay to save your precious alien friends?" Kaiba sneered cruelly.

"Ah, but I _did _help them escape," Jounouchi countered smugly.

"And when did you manage that?" Kaiba snapped. Then he paused in the folding of his socks and scoffed. "You can't be talking about Yugi…"

"Deny it all you like," Jounouchi said coolly, stuffing his hands into the pockets of his white hospital jump suit determinedly. "But you saw him and those other guys from the Red Wing. Other halves? More like special alien powers! And you got to admit weird stuff's been happening ever since Yugi got here." Kaiba snorted, but there was an odd amused smirk playing on his lips.

"You really are dense," he commented. Jounouchi scowled, glowering at Kaiba from across the room.

"Not that it matters to you," Jounouchi snapped harshly, hatred flaming up in his heart again. "You'll be out of here soon and you can forget this whole thing ever happened! Just like you want, bastard." Kaiba was almost done packing his things away now.

"Exactly," Kaiba agreed coolly. "There are only bad memories in this hellhole." Jounouchi was getting really angry now. He didn't know why but looking at Kaiba's smug face made him want to chuck something at it. There was some strange energy burning inside of him directed forcefully at Kaiba's great ego swollen head, that he couldn't quiet place.

"Well, I wouldn't want to stand in your way!" Jounouchi spat, his words were coming out a lot louder than he meant them to. "You want out? Fine, get out! Hopefully I'll get a roommate who isn't as narrow minded or as selfish as you! I don't ever want to see you again, you stuck up rich bastard!"

Kaiba closed and locked his briefcase with a sharp click. His head snapped around, blue eyes finally meeting Jounouchi's brown ones.

There was silence, neither one of them moved. Jounouchi's hands grew painfully strained from clenching them into fists too long.

Kaiba's expression changed, a look Jounouchi had never seen before that made his insides flop. A second later Kaiba had roughly grabbed a hold of Jounouchi's chin and forced his head back against the wall behind him then before Jounouchi could protest, Kaiba smashed his mouth against his.

Jounouchi's body went stiff; he hands flat against the wall behind him.

'Holy shit…' Jounouchi thought in shock. 'Is… is that his tongue? Yes… yes, that's his tongue…'

The contact didn't last long. As soon as it had began it was gone again, almost as though it had never happened. Jounouchi was still flat against the wall, eyes wide, mouth slightly open. Kaiba grabbed his briefcase from the bed exited the room briskly, face stone still and just as expressionless.

"Bye," was the last thing Jounouchi heard from him as Kaiba rounded the corner and disappeared down the hall. Jounouchi slid down the wall to the floor, too stunned to think.

(-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-)

Malik's father was approaching fast with eyes containing no pity or love for his only son that he was about to slaughter. The red hot metal tips of the pokers were glowing like a pair of angry eyes. Malik knew what would happened next. He had relived it every day of his life and there was no way to stop it now.

"What are you waiting for?" a voice that sounded of oddly familiar chuckled. "Let your fear consume you... it's the only way to save yourself." Malik turned his head and saw his darker personality leaning coolly up against the wall, pale eyes dancing menacingly. Malik stared at him, mouth hanging open in shock.

"You're supposed take control of the body now!" Malik cried. "Why aren't you inside me? This isn't how it's supposed to happen! You're supposed to do this! Not me!"

Yami no Malik shrugged mildly. "Yeah well," he mused indifferently, picking dirt out from under his fingernails. "I don't really feel like it right now... Why don't you do it yourself then?" the dark soul taunted. He pulled a dagger off a nearby table and chucked it at Malik's head. Malik ducked in his panic and the dagger landed outside in the hall with a loud clang.

"What the hell are you doing?" Malik exclaimed, backing up. His father was getting dangerously close now, deadly eyes glinting.

"What? Didn't you say you didn't _need_ me?" Yami no Malik hissed. "You wanted control of your own life, here you go. Kill your own father, don't let me take this precious chance away from you..."

"Why are you doing this?" Malik shrieked, his voice rising in pitch as his fear increased. "I can't kill him!"

"Oh well, I guess cute little Ne-san gets the bite," Yami no Malik sneered coldly.

"What?" Malik gaped. At that moment, Malik's father's hand fell. Malik flinched waiting for the blow when Ishizu suddenly jumped in front of him, protecting him with her body. The hot pokers hit and she screamed as they burned through the material of her clothing and scorched the skin on her back.

"Stop it!" Malik screamed. "Please!" Ishizu rolled onto the floor, moaning with pain, her back still sizzling. Malik's father approached Malik crouched on the floor next to his sister.

"You broke the clan's rules, Malik," his father growled. "Take responsibility for your crimes!" Malik groped for something on the floor to defend himself against his father's attack. His hands found the dagger Yami no Malik had thrown to him. Without thinking, Malik blindly picked up the weapon and pointed it at his father. The old man's movements stopped, eyes focusing on the blade. "What are you going to do with that, Malik?" Malik's whole body was trembling, fear climbing up his spine, digging its claws into Malik's flesh.

"Please... Chichiue..." Malik pleaded. His father was unmoved as usual.

"Are you begging now?" his father asked threateningly, voice very low and rough. He loomed over Malik's crouching form, hot glowing metal raised at the ready. "The leader of our clan will not be weak!" He stabbed. Malik shrieked and rolled to the side, slashing the dagger blindly.

Warm red blood splattered Malik's arm as with another clang Malik's father dropped the iron rods onto the stone floor. Malik looked up fearfully to see his father slumped over on the floor beside him, blood dripping onto the floor from a large deep wound in his chest. Malik's whole body was shaking, brain numb.

Someone was clapping in the room where Rishido's body lay.

"Good! Very good, main personality-sama!" Yami no Malik cackled with glee, thin hands clapping together, the sound echoed hollowly down the hall.

"Chichiue..." Malik whimpered. He cautiously crawled over to where his father was doubled over on the ground. His father coughed violently, spitting up blood.

"Malik... Do you wish to murder me?" the man questioned fiercely, rage-filled eyes glaring hatefully at his son. "Do you wish to murder your own father!" he screamed, hands flying out to grabbed Malik's throat. Malik tried to scream but there was no air in his throat, currently being crushed under his father's large strong hands.

"Oo, what are you going to do now?" Yami no Malik asked curiously, eyes rolling sickeningly, wide and staring. He looked as though he were enjoying himself thoroughly. "Are you going to die? Well, hurry up and disappear then. I'll have a nice empty body all waiting for me when I get out."

Malik couldn't breath; his lungs were on fire. His father was too strong; Malik couldn't pull his hands away from his throat. Malik's brain was buzzing, he couldn't think, his arms thrashing helplessly at his sides like a dying bird.

'I'm going to die... I'm going to die...' Malik thought. Then he remembered, the dagger was still in his hand. With the last of his strength, he stabbed wildly at whatever part of his father he could reach. Again and again and again, driving the knife madly into his father's flesh. His arms were soaked up passed the elbows in deep red blood. His father had already let go and had stopped moving by the time Malik realized what he was doing. His arm paused in mid air, ready to strike again. Malik's eyes found his father's face in the red mess, still untouched by the dagger, his eyes wide with surprise as if he didn't know he was dying.

The dagger dropped from Malik's limp hand. It bounced off the floor and lay still barely two feet away on the stone floor. Malik was still staring at the body, horror and realization echoing in his still numb brain. There was silence, not even Yami no Malik was speaking now. Slowly Malik bent down near his father's body; trembling hands clutched his father's shoulders desperately.

"Chichiue...?" Malik said, voice cracking. The man didn't move, didn't speak. "Chichiue?" Malik said louder, shaking his shoulder as if the man was just asleep and Malik was trying to wake him up. "_Chichiue_!"

"Stop screaming," Yami no Malik ordered coldly, no longer smiling. "He's dead. He won't wake up."

"But I..." Malik protested weakly, leaning his forehead on his father's bloody shoulder. "I was only trying to defend myself, I didn't want him to die..." More silence. Malik sobbed, his body shivering, tears squeezing themselves out of his tightly shut eyelids. "I didn't want to kill him!"

"You didn't," Yami no Malik growled angrily, walking over to Malik crying on the floor. "I killed him, remember?" Malik pulled his face away from his father's body, tears streaming down his face.

"What?" Malik asked, confused. Yami no Malik scowled and sat down on the floor next to Malik.

"Chichiue has been dead for five years! This is only an illusion," the dark soul explained curtly and annoyed. "Chichiue is already dead so you couldn't have killed him." Malik stared at his darker side unbelievingly as though he couldn't understand.

"But..." Malik protested.

"Remember where we are? In the temple. You've been trapped in this illusion so long you can't remember. You're getting passed the last test to get the dark power," Yami no Malik reminded him harshly. Malik blinked, wiping away his tears with corner of his sleeveless shirt because both of his hands were still covered in blood.

"That's right, I remember..." Malik continued numbly looking down at the floor. "But... It's still my fault that he died." Yami no Malik shrugged.

"Well of course," Yami no Malik agreed coldly. "Because you created me and I killed him." Malik looked down at the floor, eyes strangely empty. Yami no Malik saw the look that he feared.

"My fault... it's all my fault... Chichiue," Malik mouthed. Malik's trembling fingers found the dagger on the floor. "This is the only way…" Malik said weakly, pulling the dagger up to his eyes, transfixed by the weapon in his hand. "It's only way I can end this. To bury you and me as a payment to my father…" He brought the golden dagger up to his own throat, its blade glinting in the torch light. "Forgive me, Chichiue…"

"Don't-" Yami no Malik cried out, falling backwards in surprise. "_Don't_ do that!" Yami no Malik finished angrily, looking utterly terrified at his lighter half. "What the _fuck_ are you doing! Put that thing away!" Malik turned his fierce violet eyes on his darker half.

"My father is dead because of me! It could have been like this! I was the one who broke the clan's rules! I might as well have been the one holding the dagger!" Malik screamed. Yami no Malik sat motionless on the floor, pale eyes wide. "This is the only way I can make up for my father's death. I don't deserve to live..." Malik said, voice hollow and empty.

"Don't say that," Yami no Malik hissed, slowly reaching towards the weapon in Malik's hands. "Don't do this, main personalty-sama…"

Yami no Malik lunged for the dagger. The weapon flew out of Malik's hand, barely missing Malik's throat and skittered across the floor out of his reach. Malik shot forward, trying to reach it but Yami no Malik grabbed onto both of his arms and pinned him roughly to the floor.

"Let me go!" Malik screamed. "Get off of me!"

"No!" Yami no Malik cried angrily back, sitting on top of Malik's stomach so he couldn't move. "Don't use me as an excuse to kill yourself!" Malik's struggling paused for a split second, shocked by his darkness' words.

"I'm not…" protested Malik.

"You want to escape your guilt and your pain, that's why want to kill yourself isn't it!" Yami no Malik hissed acidly. "Because you can't face the facts, because you are weak!" Malik shook his head violently.

"That's not true! I hate you!" Malik shrieked, struggling madly again, voice echoing painfully off the walls. "I hate you! You bastard! Fuck you! Get off of me! I HATE YOU!"

"I will not," Yami no Malik growled. Malik's flying fist connected with Yami no Malik's face. Yami no Malik grunted but did not get up. He did not move, no matter how much Malik scratched at his skin or bit him, Yami no Malik would not move. Finally Malik tired himself out, his throat raw from screaming, his arms sore. He lay motionless under Yami no Malik; head turned to the side so he didn't have to look at his darker half.

"Why…?" Malik wouldn't look at him. "What reason do I have to live?" Malik asked. "Without Ne-san or even Chichiue telling me what to do, what will I do with myself?" Yami no Malik snorted.

"That's a stupid," Yami no Malik sneered nastily. "You don't need someone to tell you what to do, main-personality-sama. There might not be any purpose in life but you can at least find something interesting to do while your stuck here. Just because you don't know what to do doesn't mean your life is useless. Living is unexpected." Malik glared up at his darker side, suspicion glowing in his eyes.

"You suck at this convincing thing," Malik commented coldly. Yami no Malik scowled deeply, searching for another tactic.

"Then tell me, main personality, what is waiting for you in righteous death of yours?" he asked fiercely.

"Peace," Malik answered. Yami no Malik rolled his eyes.

"You can get peace living," his dark personality argued.

"Peace from you," Malik spat.

"How are you going to get peace from me if you die? I'll be dying with you," Yami no Malik snapped. Malik hesitated, apparently he had not thought of this before.

"I didn't think about that…" he mumbled. Yami no Malik smirked.

"I'm a part of you, you can't escape me," Yami no Malik growled. "And as long as I'm here, I'll make sure you survive. I was born to protect you, even from yourself." Malik remained silent for quite some time.

"I hate you," Malik grumbled in defeat. Yami no Malik shrugged.

"Why struggle? Everyone always dies eventually, you only get to live for a little while," Yami no Malik suggested.

"Why do you want me to live so bad?" Malik asked coldly.

"Why do you want me to die so bad?" Yami no Malik countered cunningly.

"Because I hate you," Malik growled, getting frustrated.

"Funny, I don't share your feelings," Yami no Malik hissed, a mischievous light glowing in the darkness' eyes. "We are opposites, main personality-sama. The more you hate me, the more I can't seem to keep myself away from you," the darkness admitted. "You fascinate me." He leaned down so that his head was inches away from Malik's face. Malik suddenly felt very uncomfortable.

"Get off me," Malik ordered fearfully. Yami no Malik smirked and twisted his head around so that his mouth was above Malik's exposed neck.

"But I don't want to," Yami no Malik whined. He licked Malik's copper flesh with his dark pink tongue. Malik shivered. "You might try to kill yourself again."

"I won't, I promise. Now get _off_!" Malik ordered more forcefully. Yami no Malik turned his head around so that he was facing his light directly again, his face barely centimeters away from Malik's.

"I like that promise," he breathed. Malik's face was heating up; a strange feeling writhed at the area below his stomach. Yami no Malik's eyes flashed knowledgeably, he could sense Malik's discomfort. Malik saw his darkness close his eyes before leaning in.

Yami no Malik's mouth met Malik's lips. The kiss was surprisingly not painful unlike the one the he had given his light before in the illusion world, although perhaps just as forceful. The dark soul bit on Malik's lower lip teasingly before shoving his tongue into Malik's resistant mouth. Malik's body went very rigid, his hands grabbed Yami no Malik's arms, not sure whether to push him away or pull him closer.

Yami no Malik eventually pulled away on his own, grinned madly. Malik looked away, lips sore, face slightly pink.

"W-we've got to go and meet up with the others," Malik mumbled. Yami no Malik frowned, looking disappointed.

"They can wait," Yami no Malik growled, placing his elbows on either side of Malik's neck, getting more comfortable. Malik's cheeks turned red.

"We shouldn't…" Malik protested weakly. Yami no Malik licked his lips suggestively and Malik closed his mouth.

"_You_ should stop talking," the dark personality hissed leaning forward and devouring Malik mouth once again.

(-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-)

Ryou was frantically running along the outside of the castle courtyard, he knew if he stopped, Zork would certainly hit him.

'But I can't keep running,' Ryou thought, a sharp painful stitch had already formed in his side. 'I'm almost out of magic points and I'm getting tired.'

"White Magic Flame!" Bakura Ryou cried, voice thin from exhaustion, pointing his staff behind him. The attack spell hit Zork square in the face, it wouldn't do much damage but it would blind the monster for a turn. The Dark Master roared, his cry echoing off the stones around him, stomping his feet in rage. Ryou dived behind the stone staircases, heart thundering against his ribs, nausea building up in his stomach.

'I can't do this. I can't do this. I can't do this,' Ryou chanted hopelessly. 'I'm only one fighter, how can I…? I bet mou hitori no boku could figure out a way to beat him…' Ryou thought to himself. But Yami no Bakura wasn't there to help him anymore. He wasn't going to jump in at the last second and save the day like he had before. Ryou shook the frighten tears out of his eyes. If his yami could think of a way out of this then he could too. 'This is a game,' he reminded himself, 'There _has_ to be a way to defeat him!' Thoughts were rushing around Ryou's mind in a blur. Then suddenly he remembered. The writing that had appeared on the wall just before Zork had appeared.

"Its true name is the key," Ryou repeated, voice raspy between swallows of air.

'What's Zork's true name?' Ryou asked himself. 'Zork is his name!' Ryou shouted at himself. 'Could it be that easy?' Having nothing to lose, Ryou stood up behind the edge of the stairs to see Zork shaking off the last of Ryou's last spell.

"Your true name is Zork Nekurohades!" Ryou cried.

Nothing happened. The monster's red eyes found the White Mage; he got in position to attack again.

'It didn't work!' Ryou thought to himself as he ran out of the Dark Master's reach. 'What the hell am I supposed to do?'

At that moment, Ryou tripped on the hem of his long white robe; his arms flew out to protect himself from a harsh landing with the ground. He looked up to see Zork standing above him, readying another fireball attack.

'No choice,' Ryou thought, he rolled over on his back, pointing his magical staff at the Dark Master, 'I can't dodge it, I just hope I have enough magic points.'

"Shinning Shield Level-" Ryou began and then winced as he felt the last of his power give out.

He had used his shield too much already; he had run out of magic, Ryou couldn't protect himself against the next attack.

There was a loud ear-splitting boom as Zork's fireball fell down upon him. Heat, light, and air exploded, Ryou screamed as the magic staff melted in his hands. It felt like a thousand tons of red-hot iron had fallen on top of him, crushing his bones as well as burning him alive.

The fireball finally burnt itself out and Ryou was left on the floor, his skin badly singed, his body so broken that Ryou was sure he would never be able to move again. Zork readied yet another attack.

'I must be practically out of Health Points,' Ryou thought mildly to himself. The world around him seemed to be moving in slow motion. 'One more attack will kill me…'

Even as Ryou lay there on the stone covered ground, certain of his inevitable death, something out of the corner of his eye caught his attention. Ryou turned his head slowly to the side and saw a small piece of glass catching the light from fire forming once again in Zork's hands.

'Broken glass?' Ryou thought dully. That's right, there had been a mirror underneath where the words had been written. Zork must have smashed it when Ryou wasn't looking. 'Mirror…' Ryou's brain suddenly sprung into life, his eyes widened. 'It's a clue to finding Zork's true name!' Ryou realized. 'What is a mirror?' he asked himself. Zork turned to face the defeated White Mage lying on the ground. 'A mirror reflects, it shows you a reflection of yourself… yourself…'

"Your true name…" Ryou said very loudly, head pounding with excitement. Zork was getting ready to throw, fireball hissing and spitting tongues of flame in the monster's hands.

"Your true name is Bakura!" Ryou screamed.

Zork, the Dark Master's body froze for a split second then immediately exploded into a thousand wisps of smoke and ash. Ryou sighed in relief and rested his head back down against the cracked stone floor, breathing heavily.

There was a bright light from on top of the castles mighty steps. Ryou peered up to see three doorways appearing on the castle wall. Was that his way out? As slowly as possible, Ryou pulled himself up on his elbows, hissing with pain. Most of his skin had been burned in that fireball attack. Rolling onto his side, Ryou shifted his weight so that his feet were underneath him and he pushed off the ground, getting light headed as he finally stood up.

'I need to make it to those doors,' Ryou ordered himself. He shuffled forward, barely managing to lift his tired feet off the ground. As he passed the remains of Zork's body, something golden caught his eye. Seemingly against his will and even though every step was causing him pain, Ryou turned aside to see what it was.

There was a strange object in the pile of ashes. A golden triangle surrounded by a golden ring. There was a golden eye carved into the center of the triangle and along the bottom half of the ring were five hanging pointers that clinked pleasantly as Ryou leaned over to pick the object up. The metal felt pleasantly warm in his hands.

"But which path do I take?" Ryou asked out loud, looking around. The strange golden object in Ryou's hands vibrated. Ryou looked down to see the center pointer at the very bottom of the ring pointed directly towards the center doorway, trembling almost as though it were being pulled. "That doorway?" Ryou asked curiously, not unnerved at all that a inanimate object was giving him directions. "Ok, let's try it."

(-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-)

Yami no Bakura's path ended and a set of stone steps began in its place, the staircase climbing steadily upward. The dark soul walked up them and emerged from the dark corridor to find himself outside the temple in the thief town Shadi had brought them to earlier that day. Only it was nighttime and the dark light-less sky was black with smoke of burning pillaged buildings; screams and stench of blood filled the air. Yami no Bakura smirked coldly.

"What could be going on here?" he asked himself, dark eyes looking curiously around at his surroundings. "Something interesting?" Just then, a group of ancient-looking soldiers passed by him, their spears flashing the orange light from the fires, red with blood. Yami no Bakura didn't seem catch their eye, which meant that he was most likely invisible to them. So this was a test he was only meant to observe, not influence.

"How many more sacrifices are needed?" one asked another who looked like his superior.

"As many more as the priests need," he said coldly. "Probably at least another forty of these sinners."

"Sacrifices?" Yami no Bakura repeated skeptically, eyes narrowing in seriousness as the soldiers disappeared around the corner. Another troupe of soldiers came into view, this one driving a group of poor, scrubby villagers ahead of them. The prisoners were screaming in terror as the soldiers, jeering and laughing cruelly, forced them down into the temple that Bakura had just exited from. Yami no Bakura stood at the side, letting the group pass.

He watched as soldiers packed the prisoners down into the temple, violently shoving men, women and children down the steps, poking them with their spears and swords as though this was some fun sport. The hallway Bakura had just exited from had disappeared and instead the prisoners were forced into a large underground stone room with a huge pot in the center of it that Yami no Bakura had never seen before. Three tall dark figures in long black robes stood around the pot, chanting ancient dark words that made Yami no Bakura's ears throb.

Next to the cauldron was a set of stairs and a plank that hovered feet above the boiling red contents of the caldron. An important looking soldier selected three thin scruffy looking older men and a woman from the crowd and forced them up the stairs. The woman screamed, it sounded like her lungs were being split open as she frantically tried to get away from the man and the pot. The officers surrounded her and the old men and threw them into the boiling cauldron.

There was a hiss and a splash as the villagers were boiled alive. The final scream of the woman before her lungs were burned and her skin melted, echoed in Yami no Bakura's brain. He watched the whole thing, voice stuck, limbs frozen, unable to think, for some reason unable to comprehend the scene.

In his normal state of mind, Bakura wouldn't think any of this. He had never before now been moved by human suffering but there was something utterly unsettling about this particular situation that made Bakura sick. The smells and eerie golden steam that wafted away from the giant pot's rim made Yami no Bakura's stomach turn. Mind numb with horror and confusion, Bakura found himself fleeing back up the stairs, one hand on his mouth and the other on his stomach, desperately holding the nausea down.

He escaped from the temple, stumbling out of the entrance. He took a deep breath of hot smoke-filled desert air from the outside; the stench of blood was still strong on the wind.

And then Yami no Bakura saw him. A little boy with pure white hair and golden copper skin kneeling by the entrance of the temple, watching as people were forced into the pot, their blood boiling out of their skins. Yami no Bakura's body froze. How could he watch? How could he keep on looking down at that dark place watching the people being boiled to death? Bakura's head was spinning violently.

"What is this place?" Yami no Bakura demanded the boy furiously. "Why am I being showed this?" The boy turned his head to face Yami no Bakura; he had violet eyes, wide and terrified.

"It is the truth," the boy answered.

"Why look!" a rough slurred voice called out. Yami no Bakura and the boy turned to see two soldiers walking toward them. They smelled like they had been drinking. "One little brat that got away from the patrols! Watching our little show, thief devil?" he spat, leaning forward and catching the boy by the arm before he had a chance to run away. The white haired boy was trembling like mad, scared out his mind. Again the two men seemed unable to see Bakura. "Should we throw him in the pot of fire for the priests?" he asked partner playfully.

"Nah, they got enough sacrifices," the other soldier growled. "Besides this one's so scrawny he probably won't even count!" He picked the boy off the ground by his hair. The boy cried out in pain. The men laughed. "Let's have fun with this one…" he suggested, pulling out his knife. He placed the blade on the boy's chest. The boy whimpered, eyes still wide and terrified.

They dragged the boy off into a shadowy corner, the boy shrieking. Yami no Bakura watched them from the street. His feet did not move. He did not even try to stop them. Hands hanging limp at his side, eyes wide and staring. He watched the men play with the defenseless little child. More and more prisoners were forced down into the temple, their frantic screams covering up the boy's shouts of pain.

And Yami no Bakura could only stand there and watch, eyes very wide.

* * *

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

* * *

Heehee. Oh Kaiba, silly Kaiba…

There you go. Malik and Yami no Malik action. Everyone happy?

Yeah, Yugi and Yami didn't make an appearance but they each had two scenes last chapter so they'll be fine.

Ryou's amazing. I guess that answers the whole "does Ryou have the key?" question. (in case you didn't get it the first time, the answer is no. That whole golden staff thing is just a coincidence. I guess Kazuki Takahashi really likes ankhs but then again who doesn't?) There's your "true name", Psychotic Tendencies.

NEXT CHAPTER: Yami's in major trouble; he's really freaking out and who knows how much more physical and mental abuse he can take. Yugi's slowly making progress while Ryou follows this "mysterious" golden item that brings him to place where he really shouldn't be.

**REVIEW** IF YOU LOVE JOUNOUCHI AND KAIBA AS MUCH AS I DO!

And if you don't like that couple very much then…

**REVIEW** IF YOU LOVE MALIK AND YAMI NO MALIK AS MUCH AS I DO!

And if you don't like either then review because Yami no Bakura needs some love right about now.


	22. Change of Heart

I feel so useless, I have no important announcements…

WAHOOO! It's the weekend again! And you know what that means? Lots and lots of love! I've been at home these past two weeks and believe me when I say its been driving me INSANE! I'm getting real sick of it and that's not just because my blood relation is back from college.

I'm getting annoyed because all the recent chapters have the word "of" in them.

This chapter is pretty long I hope you all wonderful, wonderful people love it. Cause I sure do! YAY! I loooooooooooooove this chapter. I mean, love love love LOVE! For (cough, cough) reasons that shall become obvious when you read it!

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>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 

**Chyaputa 22: Change of Heart**

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

* * *

"I play a ritual magic card," Yugi announced smugly. "Ritual of Black Chaos." Yami no Yugi scowled. "I take my Princess of Tsurugi and Black Magician as sacrifices to summon Magician of Black Chaos," Yugi said smoothing, placing his prized card on the field. "And I attack your Curse of Dragon." 

Again, Yami no Yugi immediately felt pain shoot through his already aching body, only this time it felt like his skin was burning, darkness eating away at his insides. He cried out, falling over on the table, gasping for air. His Life Points were down to 300.

"Sit up, mou hitori no boku," Yugi ordered harshly. "Our game's not finished yet."

"Aibou…" Yami no Yugi growled. His arms were trembling as they slowly pulled his body off the table. His eyesight was dimming, shifting in and out of focus. Yami no Yugi didn't know how much more of this his could take.

"Did you know," Yugi began again. Yami no Yugi looked up, surprised to hear the creature, across the table, suddenly sound so serious. "When the darkness was attacking the city and all its people, the pharaoh and his priests stood up to fight the dark power?"

"Why…?" Yami no Yugi questioned, voice raspy and strained. The pain from the last the attack was settling deeper in Yami no Yugi's bones. "Why are you telling me these things?" Yugi's face was completely blank as if he were not seeing Yami no Yugi at all.

"When the pharaoh stood up to the face the dark power, he knew he could not defeat it. So he used his own soul to seal away the darkness, locking the dangerous power away forever," Yugi explained, his voice rigid as though he was reciting a verse to some long legendary epic.

"I don't understand…" Yami no Yugi hissed, finally removing his Curse of Dragon card from the field. Yugi's evil smirk was back again.

"Mou hitori no boku, you are strong but I know your weakness," Yugi commented coolly, turning his attention back to Yami no Yugi. "Your pride and honor make you very arrogant. You think you can save everyone and vanquish evil but you can't! Even now you are thinking of a way to save me from this shadow game, aren't you?"

"Aibou…" Yami no Yugi mouthed breathlessly.

"But that's not how it works," Yugi continued indifferently. "A person can only distinguish between what is good and what is evil based one's own personal values and experiences. But you can't because you have no memories, no impressions of what is right and wrong to understand the difference! You've never gotten hurt so you cannot see the pain in other people! Everyone is suffering! Bakura-kun, Malik-kun, _even_ Yami no Malik and Yami no Bakura! But you only see the bad side of them; you don't trust anyone!"

"I can't fight you," Yami no Yugi protested weakly. "I don't want to fight with you…"

"Look at you! Pathetic! Are you afraid of failure because winning games is all you no how to do? You are a coward!" Yugi's voice was cold sharp and cutting. "How do you expect to save everyone else when can't even save yourself!" Yugi cackled cruelly. The pain was consuming Yami no Yugi's remaining strength, his body trembling. He could not think.

Yami no Yugi drew a card shakily from the deck. He had no monsters on the field yet he knew a way he could win.

'If I win, aibou will… he will…' Yami no Yugi stared hopelessly down at his hand.

"I end my…" Yami no Yugi began.

"You're going to give up?" the creature with Yugi's face asked nastily, eyes flashed, threateningly. Yami no Yugi kept his stare fixed on the ground, mouth dry from gasping for breath. "How will your precious aibou feel when you're gone? You said you'd never leave him, didn't you? You promised him he'd never be alone again, didn't you?"

"I can't kill you… aibou…" Yami no Yugi said.

"I am not your aibou!" Yugi spat hatefully, slamming his hand down on the table. "You're talking to a empty shell! If you try to save me you'll only end up killing yourself! Are you going to let you're precious companion be alone for the rest of his life? Surpass your fears! He's waiting for you!" Yami no Yugi lifted his eyes from the ground.

'Aibou is waiting for me?' Yami no Yugi thought slowly, eyes concentrating on the field once more. 'Aibou…'

"I… activate Monster Reborn… bring Black Magician back from your grave," Yami no Yugi spoke, taking the Black Magician card from Yugi's grave.

"You activated my trap, Bottomless Trap Hole," Yugi challenged. "It can automatically destroy any monster normal summoned, tribute summoned or special summoned to the field that has an attack power of over 1500."

"I play a counter trap, Trap Jammer," Yami no Yugi said, voice still very shaky, flipping over another one of his face down cards.

"What will you do now?" Yugi urged, eyes suddenly very serious. "My monster's attack is still higher. How are you going to finish me off?" Yami no Yugi's hands were shaking, his head was pounding shaking his vision.

"I-I summon, Magnet Warrior Beta in attack mode," Yami no Yugi continued hesitantly.

'Aibou… aibou…'

"I play Cursed Magic Book, it raises my Black Magician's attack by 300." Now Magician of Black Chaos and Black Magician had the same attack power. "Black Magician attack Magician of Black Chaos," Yami no Yugi said, voice dead.

"Both monsters are destroyed," Yugi said calmly placing his monster card in the graveyard, Yami no Yugi followed. "Now my field is open for attack from your Magnet Warrior Beta. I'll be finished my life points will become zero."

Yami no Yugi did not move, he did not even breathe.

"I can't…" he said hollowly. Yugi frowned.

"Yes, you can," Yugi argued.

Yami no Yugi hesitated, the pain was drilling into his brain; everything was spinning around him.

'Aibou…'

"M-Magnet Warrior Beta… direct attack," Yami no Yugi spoke. He looked up shakily and was startled to find a smile on the dark creature's face. A pure smile, like the one aibou had.

There was a crack and, as though someone had attacked the creature with Yugi's face with an invisible sword, a long deep slash erupted on his chest, blood flying everywhere.

"Aibou!" Yami no Yugi cried and jumped out his chair. The table, chairs and game cards vanished in a flash. The Yugi was lying on the floor, crimson blood spreading through his clothing. Yami no Yugi ran forward frantically, his own pain had disappeared, although he hadn't noticed. He scooped up the fake Yugi into his arms, the first tears he had ever know flowing from his red eyes.

"Why? Why did you want me to attack?" he cried, clutching the Yugi's body disparately. "If you hadn't told me to attack…" The Yugi smiled, blood covering his white teeth.

"I am just a shadow…" the creature spoke, dead eyes staring blankly up at the ceiling. "I, like you, have never known tenderness only darkness… Don't worry about your body, you are still in an illusion world, nothing here is real…" He coughed, blood dribbling down his chin. "…Yet…in this form I could sense the kindness of your companion," he explained. "I could feel his light. For that light… I am happy to have felt it… at least once…" His eyes rolled, his breathing was slowing down.

"But you'll die…" Yami no Yugi cried, cold tears falling on the creature's face. The fake Yugi turned his head to Yami no Yugi, still smiling. God, how could he be smiling?

"I can feel…" the shadow spoke. It lifted a trembling hand, struggling to touch Yami no Yugi's face. "I can see why… this body longs for you…"

Yami no Yugi gave a start, his heart jumped in his chest.

"What are you talking about?" Yami no Yugi asked breathlessly.

"I envy your companion." The shadow's hand touched Yami no Yugi's face, his purple eyes clouding over. "If only I could stay in this form a little longer… maybe I could… you…" The eyes went dead, still fixed on Yami no Yugi's face. The hand dropped and the body went limp and cold. Yami no Yugi's eyes widened in terror.

"Aibou…" Yami no Yugi cried. The tears would not stop. Yami no Yugi had never felt so empty, so alone in his whole life. The body of Yugi would not move. "Aibou… Aibou!" Yami no Yugi screamed, voice ripping his throat raw. "_Aibou_! AIBOU!"

(-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-)

Yugi had collected over fifteen pieces of the golden puzzle. He sat on the cold stone floor, all of his limbs shivering with cold, trying to piece the mysterious puzzle together. He thought he must have been at least half way done. He had found out a while ago that when the gold puzzle pieces were put together, they shined brighter than a signal piece alone.

'If I finish the puzzle,' Yugi thought, fingers fumbling in the dim light. 'Maybe I can find a way out of here.' Slowly the pieces began to fit into place; the puzzle was completing itself before his very eyes, the light growing steadily brighter. He could see its final form now; it looked something like a pyramid.

Finally, after what seemed like hours, every piece fit into place but as Yugi examined the puzzle he saw that there was a hole in center of one of the pyramid's triangular faces. There was still one piece he had not found. Yugi stood up and began walking down the path again, his pace faster and more confident than before.

He turned a corner and saw a doorway.

'Is this the exit?' Yugi thought curiously. He looked down; the last golden piece was lying there in front of the door. Yugi picked up it up. While the other golden pieces had been plain with no markings, this piece had a golden eye carved into its surface. 'Strange…' Yugi thought and put it in its place in the puzzle. It fit perfectly.

The puzzle grew even brighter, its light now blinding Yugi. The door in front of him swung open. Yugi stumbled in, holding the glowing golden puzzle over his head.

He had entered another stone hallway, that continued onward into a blinding light but on either side of the hallway were two doors. One door was very ordinary looking and seemed very familiar. Yugi had an urge to go inside it but then he spotted the other door. It looked like it was made of black iron; it had veins coursing through its surface and to Yugi's shock, it had a large golden eye identical to the one on Yugi's golden puzzle.

Something, someone deep inside him was telling him to open that door. Yugi followed that instinct. He hesitated slightly as he place his hand on the golden door handle, and then he took a deep breath and opened it.

(-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-)

Yugi's body had disappeared; even the blood had seemingly evaporated from Yami no Yugi's hands and clothing but he could still see the creature of darkness in his mind. That sad bloody smile…

There was a creak and a door opened somewhere on the other side of the dark shadowy room. Light flooded into the space, surrounding Yami no Yugi; a figure was standing the open doorway. He squinted and put a hand over his eyes trying to see who was there.

"Mou hitori no boku!" the figure cried suddenly running forward, towards him.

"Aibou…" Yami no Yugi mouthed. He couldn't believe it. This had to be another illusion. As Yugi drew closer he suddenly stopped dead in his tracts. Yami no Yugi could see Yugi's wide purple eyes staring worriedly at him.

"Mou hitori no boku… are you crying?" Yugi asked softly, face fill of concern. Yami no Yugi turned forcefully away. This was just another trick of the darkness, it had to be. There was a thud; something soft fell to the ground beside him. A cold freezing hand was on his shoulder, making him turn around to face his light.

"What h-happened to you?" Yugi asked concerned.

"Are you…" Yami no Yugi stammered. "Are you real?" Yugi grabbedone of his darkness' hands with his own cold trembling one.

"Yes-s, I'm real," Yugi said firmly.

"I saw you die… I killed you…" Yami no Yugi stammered. It was important to explain this, he didn't know why. "You challenged me to a shadow game and then…whoever lost had to die," Yami no Yugi said urgently, eyes wide and unseeing. "I knew it wasn't you. You-he told me it wasn't you but… you died… and there was blood, all this _blood_ and…"

"M-mou hitori no boku," Yugi said, trying to stay cheerful. "Its okay. I'm not dead. W-we're both fine, we both made it out of our t-tests."

Yami no Yugi suddenly looked down at Yugi's hand.

"You're freezing," Yami no Yugi realized, eyes wide. Yugi smiled weakly, his whole body shivering. His skin was paler than Ryou's, almost bluish white.

"Got trapped in a maze…" Yugi said weakly. It looked as though he were about to collapse. Frantically Yami no Yugi wrapped his arms around his lighter half's shivering body, trying desperately to warm him up. He pulled Yugi onto his lap, getting him off the cold floor. Yugi sighed and closed his eyes, head falling against his darkness' warm shoulder. Yami no Yugi placed one of his arms around Yugi's back to make sure he didn't fall off.

"Aibou… what is that?" his darker said asked curiously, pointing to the golden triangle object Yugi had brought in.

"Oh, it's a…" Yugi looked down at the thing in his hands and shrugged, "Actually, I don't really know what it is but, when I was walking around that maze I kept finding these pieces of gold, I think they were leading me out. Turns out they were all apart of this puzzle thing and when I finished it, I got out of the maze," he explained, hooking a finger through the loop at the center of the base of the pyramid. "It must be important."

"I suppose," Yami no Yugi said, studying the strange object. "I think you're supposed to wear it."

Yugi looked confused. "Wear it? How?"

"On this loop thing," Yami no Yugi said. He lifted the silver chain up from around Yugi's neck, unhooked one end and slid the chain through the loop, like a pendent on a necklace. "See," Yami no Yugi said slipped the chain over Yugi's head again, "Fits you perfectly."

"I don't know," Yugi thought staring at the golden pyramid, now hanging upside down, golden eye facing outwards. "It's too fancy and heavy," he complained.

"I think it makes you look cool," said Yami no Yugi meaningfully, staring into Yugi eyes. Yugi flushed.

"Well… I guess, it's not _so_ bad," Yugi muttered nervously. Yami no Yugi grinned but Yugi noticed something about it was off. He firmly clasped both of Yugi's icy cold hands, trying to warm them up as his gaze drifted away like it always did when he was hiding something. "What's wrong?" Yugi inquired worriedly.

"Aibou… I'm so sorry," Yami no Yugi said.

"What do you have to be sorry about?" Yugi asked curiously, voice almost making no sound.

"I killed you, even if it wasn't the real you… I felt so horrible… but he _wanted_ me to do it…" Yugi let his darkness talk himself into silence as he leaned back against Yami no Yugi's shoulder. He could hear his darkness breathing, feel his chest go up and down. Yugi could have easily fallen asleep.

"You're warm…" Yugi murmured very softly, interrupting his darker side's apologies. Yami no Yugi's heart jumped again. Yugi glanced up, staring at Yami no Yugi. Silence and complete comfort, wrapped around the two of them.

Yami no Yugi didn't know what he was doing, he couldn't even remember deciding to do it. He lifted one of Yugi's hands up to his face and kissed it.

Yugi and Yami no Yugi were both quite shocked. Warmth spread into Yugi's fingers as something else shot through his system like an arrow. Not daring to take his eyes off his darkness' red orbs, Yugi slowly pulled his hand away from Yami no Yugi's face and then reached into the warmth inside his darkness' jacket, wrapping his both arms around Yami no Yugi's waist, bringing their bodies closer together.

"Aibou…" Yami no Yugi whispered, lowering his head. His hand that had been holding Yugi's hands reached down and took a hold of Yugi's head. Yugi was trembling again, but it wasn't with the cold this time. Yami no Yugi kissed his hikari's forehead, then his temple and then his cheek, his hot breath washing over Yugi's face. Yugi's mouth was already slightly open.

"Is this okay?" Yami no Yugi asked hesitantly, his voice very low. "…You don't mind?"

"No…" Yugi whispered.

Yami no Yugi kissed Yugi's freezing lips softly, chapped with cold. He backed away shyly, but he didn't want to. Yami no Yugi stared into Yugi's purple eyes for a second, both speechless. Something was squirming inside him, his temperature raising. He had just discovered something; he liked kissing Yugi. He _really_ liked kissing Yugi. He wanted to… again… Yami no Yugi lowered his head again, it was as if he couldn't stop himself.

"Mou hitori no boku…" Yugi breathed, lips brushing against Yami no Yugi's as he spoke. His darkness shushed him gently, the hand on Yugi's head stroking his hair.

Yami no Yugi kissed him again. Yugi's arms tightened on his waist, clutching his back as he leaned upward into the kiss, warmth spreading like fire with his system now. Yugi had never kissed anyone before. The new sensation of blood suddenly rushing through his body making him slightly light headed was oddly pleasant. Yami no Yugi cupped Yugi's mouth with his own, his contact getting deeper. His mouth felt like fire to Yugi's cold skin. The arm around Yugi's back was getting tighter, pulling Yugi up.

Then a sudden sharp pain in both Yugi's and Yami no Yugi's stomachs brought them back to reality. They jerk apart slightly and then, curiously, both looked down to find the problem. The bulky golden puzzle Yami no Yugi had placed on his aibou's neck not one minute before had stopped them from drawing too close.

"Oh," Yami no Yugi gulped. Yugi coughed nervously.

"Oops, sorry about that," Yugi mumbled, face glowing red and feeling horribly ashamed.

"It's ok, don't worry about it," Yami no Yugi reassured awkwardly. Both the pair were suddenly silent.

Their heads still very close together and their breathing was only just starting to slow down.

"Well, I guess we should… ah, meet up with the others…" Yami no Yugi muttered distractedly, not looking away from his lighter half's eyes.

"Yes, cause you know… they, ah, could be worried," Yugi pointed out, not really paying attention to what he was saying at all. Neither one of them had moved.

"Yeah… we should probably…" Yami no Yugi said, staring down at their tangled limbs. Yugi blushed brighter.

"Ah… sure," Yugi said shakily and reluctantly extracting his arms from the warmth inside of Yami no Yugi's jacket. He pulled himself off Yami no Yugi's lap and they both stood up, brushing off the wrinkles in their clothes. "Um… How do we get out of here?" Yugi asked lightly to cover up the awkwardness. Yami no Yugi shrugged and looked around. He hadn't noticed it before but the ceiling above the room continued upwards into darkness, the faint outlines of complex labyrinth was all around him.

"I'm not even quite sure where we are…" he answered. Yugi looked around, also noticing the twisting staircases of the three dimensional maze about them.

"Strange place," Yugi commented. "Maybe we should go through the door that I came in," he suggested, pointing back to the still open door.

"I guess," Yami no Yugi shrugged and they both walked out of the dark room. Their arms brushed as they walked through the door. Yugi's ears turned pink. Yami no Yugi saw this and hold Yugi's hand in his own, giving it a playful squeeze. Yugi gave him a silent smile.

(-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-)

Ryou had been following the pointers on the golden object down twisting corridors for quite some time; he could only hope that they were leading him in the right direction. He turned a corner and was surprised to find the twisting corridors had finally ended. He stood at the end on a long straight corridor. Not needing the pointers to tell him where to go, Ryou ran down the hall as fast as he could manage, his limbs and muscles still sore from Zork's attack.

The corridor finally came to a dead end, however on either side of this dead end were two doors, one on one wall of the hallway and one on the other. One door was light blue and the other was black and metal, a number of complicated locks lining up the side of the frame, as if the owner really didn't want people getting in. The golden object in Ryou's hands pointed to the black door. Ryou sighed.

'It hasn't lead me astray so far,' Ryou reasoned uncertainly. He approached the door cautiously and not sure how he was going to get passed all the strange locks, poked one curiously with a pale finger. The lock made a loud clunking noise that made Ryou jump back. Then suddenly, like a change reaction, all the locks clicked, chimed, clanged or thudded as they proceeded to magically unlock themselves. There was silence for a moment; Ryou blinked, waiting for whatever the mysterious door had next in store. Then, just as strangely, the door swung open on its own as though welcoming Ryou inside.

Ryou looked accusingly down at the golden ring in his hands. "You better be right about this,"he said apprehensively. He took a deep breath and then marched straight into the dark room.

There were shadows hanging in every corner and a dirt floor beneath his feet. The room was small and cramped with stone and clay walls like he was entering some under ground cave or tomb. There was a bitter dank smell in the air as though something had been festering in room for a while and the murderous whiff of what might have been dried blood. Ryou shivered, stepping carefully into the room, all five pointers on the golden object were leading him onward into the darkness. He reached the stone wall on the other side of the room and came upon another door. The pointers were glowing with excitement, clinking as they trembled, there was something important in that room. Ryou hesitantly opened the door.

He almost dropped the golden object in his shock; his body went rigid, paralyzed at the spot.

There on the floor of the dark room was Yugi lying flat on his back, a large bloody hole in the center of his chest, face white and stretched with fear. Next to him was his darker side, Yami no Yugi lying face down in a pool of his own blood, there were a number of deep scratch marks on his back. Malik was lying on his side, his head only a few feet away from his bloody open neck. Yami no Malik's limbs and back were twisted in very strange ways, I looked like every bone in his body had been purposely broken. Ryou made a small weak sound, somewhere between a choke and gasp. His knees collapsed beneath him.

'All dead… but how… How could this happen? Who…' Ryou's null brain imploding in upon itself for answers. 'Who could have…?'

"You're not supposed to be in here," a cold voice snapped. Ryou rotated his head around to see Yami no Bakura standing a few feet behind him, his form very cool and collected. If he could see what was in the room, he had no reaction to it.

"Killed…" Ryou choked, his mind trying to come up with a plausible solution. "Malik-kun… Yugi-kun… how? How could this happen?" Yami no Bakura walked over to the room and smirked as he saw what was inside.

"Relax, yadonushi," Yami no Bakura ordered, amused. "We're still in the illusion world, your friends are not really dead," Yami no Bakura spat slamming the door shut in Ryou's still stunned face. "You weren't supposed to see that." Ryou looked up at his darker side; he was still kneeling upon the ground, shock still gripping his heart.

"Where…" Ryou asked numbly, eyes wide staring at the closed door in front of him. "What is this place?"

"You've walked straight into the room of my soul," Yami no Bakura hissed coldly, moving away from the door, gesturing to the dark stone tomb-like room around him. "This room reflects my mind and my thoughts."

Ryou's eyes snapped into focus. "Your mind?" he repeated, slowly pulling himself to his feet.

Yami no Bakura turned, dark intelligent eyes catching on the burns and bruises covering Ryou's skin as a result from his encounter with Zork. "You're damaged."

"Its nothing," Ryou insisted softly. "The test was a little harder than I thought it would be…" Yami no Bakura's mouth set in a frown and he turned away from Ryou again. "Um… if you don't mind me asking, why is there a room like that in your mind? Why are the others dead?" Ryou asked curiously. Yami no Bakura had his back facing Ryou so he couldn't see his yami's face.

"It is a sign of things to come," Yami no Bakura answered. His voice was trembling. Ryou didn't understand, what was his dark side talking about?

"What do you mean?" Ryou asked, voice growing in urgency. "Are Yugi and the others in danger? If that's true, we've got to do something! We have to warn them!"

"Yadonushi," Yami no Bakura said coolly. "That's been the plan since the very beginning."

Ryou's breath caught painfully in his throat. "What are you talking about?" he asked, voice tight.

"You mean, you didn't know?" Yami no Bakura said, quite calmly. "I am going to kill every last one of them." His back was still facing Ryou; the dark soul's shoulders twitching as if with excitement. Ryou froze, joints tense; he couldn't comprehend his darker side's answer. Surely he didn't know what he was saying.

"You don't mean… you can't…" Ryou protested, a pleading edge to his voice. "You… we… why?" Ryou questioned desperately, taking a step towards his darkness. Ryou could remember Yami no Bakura fighting along side Yugi and his darker half in the illusion forest world. Hadn't they joined together in a rescue mission to save Malik? Yami no Bakura had protected Yugi when Yami no Malik had attacked him, hadn't he? He couldn't believe it. He couldn't believe he would do this, not after all they had been through. "Why? They're our friends!"

There was a giggle that bubbled up into a laugh; Yami no Bakura turned his head toward the ceiling laughing insanely at the darkness.

"Why?" Yami no Bakura repeated darkly, finally facing his lighter half. He looked sick, his skin was paler than usual, his eyes were glassy, almost feverish. Ryou could see the deep-seated hatred inthose eyes, the illness that controlled his darkness' soul. An old fear Ryou had not felt since before the illusion world came back and clutched his heart.

'Its just like before… Why? Why is he like this again?' Ryou thought. He could feel the ice and distance forming between them again. 'We were just… We had…'

"You said once that you thought I hated you," Yami no Bakura said, drawing closer to his host. Ryou found his back up against the wall. "You were right, I did hate you," the dark soul admitted seriously, dark eyes narrowing. Ryou's chest tightened painfully. "In the beginning, when I first came to recognize myself apart from you, I was very unstable. I was filled with this uncontrollable hate and darkness. I didn't even know where the darkness had came from or why I was imprisoned within the body of a child," he sneered angrily. "I was so confused as I watched you, with your the perfect life, the _perfect_ mother, _perfect_ father and _perfect_ sister. It sickened me that there was nothing wrong in your life! That you could never feel the hate and anger that I felt! I detested you! I _loathed_ you!" Yami no Bakura spat, finally reaching Ryou pressed firmly up against the wall.

"So… you killed Kaa-san?" Ryou asked, brown eyes wide and fearful. "And Amane?" Yami no Bakura grinned, the action looked sick.

"It was never supposed to be your sister. If that stupid girl hadn't gotten in the way she could have been spared," Yami no Bakura explained casually. Ryou's jaw trembled. Why? Why was he telling Ryou these things?

"After your father locked you away in that insane asylum, cutting you off from his life, I finally understood my fate. The fate that lies with all dark personalities," Yami no Bakura continued, his eyes empty as though he was looking at something no longer there.

"Fate?" Ryou repeated, mind buzzing.

"Yadonushi, your body is very important to me," Yami no Bakura spoke, his voice very low. He placed a hand on the stone wall behind Ryou's head, leaning down closer to his host. Ryou stared up at him terrified, limbs numb. "We, dark personalities, must protect our hosts. It's our mission, our curse for ones who do not have their own bodies. I knew I had to protect you. Maybe that's why I jumped in front of Yami no Malik's attack for you."

"Back at my first hospital…" Ryou spoke slowly, looking down at the floor. "You lured patients and nurses into an innocent game and then hurt them. How is that protecting me?"

"Oh, so you remember that?" Yami no Bakura asked, dark eyes sparkling with amusement. "Yes, that's right. I sealed their souls into the game. But those people were only experiments. I was exploring the extent of my power, seeing how far my darkness could spread…" Ryou was still trembling, fists shaking.

"I don't understand," Ryou said, his voice growing louder. "Why would you do this? Why do you have to hurt people!" Yami no Bakura scoffed coldly, his grin suddenly dropped.

"Yadonushi, you are so naïve," Yami no Bakura taunted. He lifted a hand, curling his fingers around a white lock of Ryou's hair. Ryou shivered. "You have never seen the true evilness that hides in every human heart. You have never felt true hatred…Unlike me." His dark eyes hardened seriously. "It is our fate," he explained, his voice firm. "We were all destined to be here, in this temple… He started it three thousand years ago."

"Three thousand years ago?" Ryou repeated, confused. "What are you talking about?"

"I will end it today. And I will win, yadonushi. Their souls will be consumed by the shadows. The eternal dark hell is waiting for them…"

"You can't!" Ryou cried. His posture suddenly straightened. Yami no Bakura let go of Ryou's hair in surprise. "You can't hurt Yugi-kun and the others! I…" Ryou's jaw fixed, brown eyes firm yet slightly pleading. "I-I won't let you."

"_You_? Try to stop _me_?" Yami no Bakura asked, his face holding a cruel smirk as though the idea of his lighter half having a back bone was entertaining to him.

"I won't let you hurt my friends," Ryou said more firmly. "Please… don't do this."

Yami no Bakura's smirk vanished in an instant. He snorted doubtfully; an irritable scowl carved his pale lips. "You would turn on me too?" he questioned sharply. "You would stand in my way for _weaklings_, yadonushi?" Ryou didn't say anything; his silence spoke his answer for him. Yami no Bakura's eyes widened. He knew this was no bluff, no empty threat. "I see… You have chosen your side then, have you?" Again, Ryou could not find his voice. "If you too are going to be against me, I guess I have no choice," Yami no Bakura said mildly.

Ryou's steadfast gaze wavered, terror griped his lungs. "What are you going to do to me?"

Yami no Bakura smiled wickedly and placed his hand over Ryou's fist. Ryou looked down to see he was still holding the golden ring that had led him to Yami no Bakura's soul room. Yami no Bakura slid his smooth fingers underneath Ryou's limp hand and pried the golden object out of his grip. Yami no Bakura raised the golden object up and examined it.

"Thank you for the present." His rough voice was deathly low, breath sliding in between his white teeth.

Ryou took in a shuddering breath as his darkness' fingers touched the skin on his lower neck and slowly dragged them up towards his face.

"I can't have you standing in my way, yadonushi," Yami no Bakura hissed, his black eyes watching his own fingers travel up Ryou's neck. He took another step forward, the space between them disappearing, his dark eyes flashed cunningly. He lowered his head, getting very close to Ryou's face. Ryou leaned backward into the solid wall behind him, too afraid to move. Yami no Bakura was very, very close now, Ryou could feel the heat from his face.

"I think you should sleep for a bit, yadonushi…"

"What are you doing?" Ryou questioned panicked. "Don't-"

"I'll let you see the truth…" the dark soul hissed, breath hitting Ryou's tight mouth.

Before Ryou could say another word, Bakura pressed his lips onto Ryou's.

A split second of shock consumed him then suddenly Ryou noticed the over powering scent of blood coming off of Bakura's body. The warmth from his mouth was humid sticky air, his gripping fingers felt like the lick of hot flames. There were columns of black smoke and flames in his dark eyes. His teeth felt like the sting of metal blades. Ryou's ears began to ring; the ringing grew louder and turned slowly into screaming, the terrified, fearful screaming of someone about to meet their death. Human flesh was burning, sizzling; Ryou could smell it, he could feel it.

His mind was spinning; Ryou no longer knew where he was, barely who he was. His mind was lost in the flames, screaming and smoke that surrounded him.

Yami no Bakura let his hikari slip off his body and crumple onto the floor, Ryou's large brown eyes unseeing, blinded by the vision Yami no Bakura had placed in them. Ryou's body was shivering, his mouth hanging open gasping for air. One of his pale hands clawed the dirt floor desperately.

"M-mou… hito…ri…no bo-ku…" The words fell out of Ryou's mouth, broken violently into pieces. Yami no Bakura did not move to help him.

"I don't hate you, yadonushi… not anymore," Yami no Bakura spoke, an empty look echoed through his black eyes. "I can't, no matter how hard I try…"

* * *

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

* * *

YAY! KISSES! (does happy dance) 

Yugi and Yami are so cute! I love those guys to death! Heehee, the puzzel, get it? Haha! Come on, don't tell me that does happen! I had to rewrite a part of their scene and I accidentally wrote "Atemu" instead of "Yami no Yugi" cause that's what his name is in the fic I'm writing now. Oops. But I caught it before I updated!

Teehee. I love that line. "Your body is very important to me." Heehee. And it was in the show! Or maybe it was in the manga... Aw, Ryou and Bakura are so CUTE! You know, even though Bakura is a bastard… You know _besides_ that.

Now here's a question, what were Malik and Yami no Malik doing all chapter? Off stage… By themselves… With no interruptions… _Hm_… (cough, cough)

NEXT CHAPTER: It's the Beginning of the End and SHIT! WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON! What's wrong with Shadi? And what are these Sennen Item thingies? I don't understand! EXPLANATIONS AHEAD!

**REVIEW! **

Come on, its so easy and _everyone_ is doing it! (forces peer pressure on readers (GASP! OH THE HORROR!))

**REVIEW!**


	23. Secret of the Bandit

Ok so yeah, I know,its Tuesday. But I was on a trip and I didn't get back until yesterday and I tried to upload the chapter this morning but wasn't working. I don't know if that's an excuse or anything. (bows profusely anyway)

I did a bad thing. (shame) A while ago when I was writing this story there were parts (like in the illusion forest world thingie) that made me want to kill myself. So I was like, "this sux, I can't write." So I started writing a brand new story. And well to be perfectly honest the new story was pretty crappy (only took me 93 pages to realize this) but it did get me out of my non-writing funk. This weekend I brought my laptop along on my trip and was planning on working on my the new _amazing_ story that I started this year when suddenly (dramatic pause) I started working on my old crappy funk story! So yeah I didn't get much work done on my new _amazing_ story (cries).

Plus I broke my laptop. I dropped it and now the screen is all inky and cracked. Now I have to use this freaking heavy one that's like ten years old and the space bar sticks. (pounds space bar (DAMN YOU!))

Yeah, bad me.

Now, on with amazingness

This chapter is long... and complicated... lots of talking and threats and shouting.

Enjoy.

This chapter is dedicated to the marvelous PageTurn, who has claim to my future hand in marriage.

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>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 

**Chyaputa 23: Secret of the Bandit**

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

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The temple's guardian stood in the center of the temple's main room, his feet placed firmly on the stone steps, back facing the three dark doorways where the chosen ones would soon emerge. 

'All have passed,' he thought to himself. Hollow eyes gazed up at the stone tablet, lying on it back on top of the stone platform. 'My mission will soon be complete.'

There was a cold, deep chuckle from one of the dark corridors. The guardian did not have to turn to know who it was. He knew that voice; it haunted him in his nightmares, in his memories.

"Seems as though I am first to appear," the dark creature mused, walking further into the temples room. "How fortunate. This will go so much easier…"

"Welcome, chosen one," the guardian said, rotating to meet the figure coming out of the doorway. The teenager moved out of the shadows, the firelight from the torches surrounding the shrine was reflecting off his wild white hair. "You have passed all the tests I have lain out before you." The white haired figure smirked, black eyes cold.

"What did you expect? That your useless traps would stop me? Did you hope that the darkness would consume my tainted soul before I could claim all that is mine?" he snapped.

"I must admit, with your cunning I knew you would pass the first test," the guardian reflected.

"You did not think that the trials of my useless dolls would stop me." He stopped at the foot of the stone steps. "So you throw that hateful memory upon me once again!" he suddenly snarled harshly, mouth twisting.

"I was hoping it would stop you before you could get this far," the guardian admitted.

"But you forget, Shadi," the evil soul snapped with grim satisfaction glowing his black eyes. "That was three thousand years ago. That disgusting scene means nothing to me now."

"How quickly you change your goals, Bakura," Shadi said stiffly. Yami no Bakura's twisted insane grin widened.

"What are you going to do now, servant of Osiris?" Yami no Bakura questioned cruelly, as though he already knew the answer. "Try and stop me?" The dark soul lifted his head and cackled to the stone ceiling. "You couldn't do it back then and you won't do it now!"

"I will try," said Shadi, void eyes serious with a sudden urgency. "This time I have you at a disadvantage." He reached into his un-dyed linen robes and pulled out two golden items, one the shape of a large ankh, the other a set of scales.

"Oh," Bakura taunted, trembling with excitement. "I see the effects of your soul fusion were successful! Your poor friend Kalim's soul's forever to be bonded to you! All to get your hands on another item? How are you any different than me!"

"Kalim is as much a part of me as I am of him," Shadi corrected. Old buried hatred rising up in him, the first emotion he had felt in three thousand years. "We combined the power of our souls and our items to destroy you."

"Too bad for you priests, it didn't work," Yami no Bakura sneered, fingers twitching in excitement.

"But it will now," Shadi said. The golden items in his hands lit up, power surging around him, robes billowing in the agitated wind. "I will kill you before you can get your hands on any more items!" A cry of anguish, the dark power swirled in the air, flames clinging with blue embers to their torches on the walls. Shadi shot the power, intertwined with his own ancient sorrow, at the dark soul at the bottom of the steps.

The white haired demon did not even blink.

"Again," Yami no Bakura snarled, a hidden intensity exploding from his pale frame. "Too bad for you." Like a black hole, the power Shadi had thrown at his enemy collapsed upon itself. The air in the underground temple rushed around the two figures. Shadi stood stunned at the top of the steps, empty eyes suddenly filled with horror, wide and disbelieving.

"I-impossible… That was all my power…" Shadi's weak knees collapsed beneath him, the golden items grew dim in his hands, all of his energy drained in that last desperate attack. "How did you… with only one item?" Yami no Bakura raised one clever eyebrow.

"Shadi, you give me no credit!" Yami no Bakura cried, vines of darkness weaving through the air around him. "I have planned for this in advance. _One_ item? You insult me…" Shadi felt all hope leave him in an instant.

"You… bastard…" Shadi grunted, his strength left with his hope.

(-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-)

Yugi pulled his sore body up from the floor, bones cracking as though they hadn't been used in a while.

'How long were we out?' Yugi asked his other self, stretching out his arms and legs with difficulty.

_No idea, _Yami no Yugi responded. _Look there's light ahead. _Yugi turned in the direction his darkness had indicated. By the way the light was flickering, Yugi guessed it was from torches.

"Maybe we're back in the room where we started," Yugi said and move forward only to notice an unfamiliar weight swinging on his neck. He looked down to see the same golden upside down pyramid he had found in the maze hanging on the chain around his throat. "How did this thing become real?" Yugi questioned, examining the thing closely.

_It probably has something to do with the dark power,_ Yami no Yugi said in Yugi's head. _Maybe that guy will explain it to us._ Yugi nodded and continued along the short passageway, emerging from his doorway into a room that he had definitely never seen before. The ceiling was much higher and the walls were completely covered in ancient Egyptian pictographs. In the center of the massive floor was a large Egyptian tablet, set on a stone platform as though it was some holy relic.

Yugi heard a thud and a curse from the doorway next to his own. The voice sounded familiar.

"Dammit! Where the hell…?"

"Malik-kun!" Yugi cried, peering curiously down into the corridor his friend's voice was echoing out of. "Are you there?"

"Yugi?" the Egyptian answered, walking into the firelight. He looked disheveled, his clothing wrinkled and his pale blonde hair untidy. "Did you get through okay?" he asked mildly.

"Yeah," Yugi said. "Have you seen Bakura-kun?"

"Ah… no, I, ah, just got out," Malik said stiffly. There was something unusual about his tone that made Yugi examine his friend more closely. He could just make out something on the Egyptian's copper skin in the dim orange light.

"Malik, is that a… bite mark?" Yugi asked bewildered. Malik jumped in surprise.

"What? Where?" he questioned hastily.

"On your neck," Yugi said, pointing. "Were you attack by something? It looks pretty bad." Malik took a giant step back, suddenly looking extremely flustered, Yugi thought Malik's face went a few shades paler, although it was hard to tell in the firelight.

"I… ah, yeah! I was!" Malik exclaimed enthusiastically, voice squeaking uncharacteristically. "There were these… ah, dog things! Chasing me around! Vicious! Yeah…" Malik mimed a large creature with his arms in mid air.

Yugi was very confused. "O…k," he said uneasily, shrugging off Malik's strange behavior off. There was a flash of gold near Malik's side. "What's that?" he asked more urgently.

"What?" Malik cried, looking around confused and panicking once again.

"That golden thing in your belt," Yugi said.

"Oh," Malik said, relaxing a bit. He pulled the long golden dagger like thing from his belt, the head of which was a round ball with the same golden eye as Yugi's puzzle. "It's just this thing I found. Yami said I should bring it with me… Why is it here? I thought it was part of the illusion."

"Same with me," Yugi said, raising his golden upside-down-pyramid-shaped puzzle by its loop. Malik frowned skeptically.

"What is that thing?" Malik asked curiously.

"I don't know either," Yugi admitted. "I just sort of found it too." He briefly described his experience with in the dark maze.

"Well, what do we do now?" Malik asked scratching his head, copper skin glowing in the orange light.

"We wait for Bakura-kun, I suppose…" Yugi suggested.

"No need," a sharp voice spoke from the shadows. Both Yugi and Malik jumped in surprise, looking around.

"Bakura-kun?" Yugi questioned walking further into the dark stone temple. "Are you here?" A familiar dark voice chuckled from inside the shadows. Then Yugi spotted him, his white hair revealing his position in the darkness. He was crouched on top of the tablet on the stone alter in the center of the room, his black trench coat made him look like his was clothed in shadows but he was too far away for Yugi to make out the expression on his face.

Then a shock rippled through Yugi's consciousness and he came to a sudden stop. It was as if a cold hand had clawed its way up Yugi's spine; he shivered convulsively. Something was wrong, very wrong.

"What's going on?" Malik asked, remaining pleasantly unsuspecting for the moment. "Where's that temple guardian guy?"

"Right here," Yami no Bakura hissed, not moving out from the shadows.

"Malik…" Yugi spoke warily, eyes wide and suddenly cautious.

"What is it Yugi?" Malik asked. Yugi pointed transfixed at a spot at the foot of the stone steps.

The temple guardian was laying face up towards the ceiling, lifeless eyes wide, mouth open and stretched as if he had been screaming. Yugi did not have to look closer; he knew the man was dead. He caught Malik's shocked gasp beside him.

"How did this happen?" Malik gaped unbelievingly; staring horrified at the body. Yugi's eyes were no longer on the body but on Yami no Bakura.

"It couldn't be…" Yugi said carefully, eyes glancing from the body up to Yami no Bakura. "…You killed him?"

"What are you talking about, Yugi?" Malik cried. "Bakura wouldn't…"

"So quick to claim my involvement? I see you've learned well from your dark side…" Bakura's dark soul commented casually. "Don't worry, this guy's death is no great loss anyway. In fact he should be grateful, he died fulfilling his mission…" Yami no Bakura hissed. He swung his legs over the side of the stone tablet so that they hung a few inches off the floor. His form was very relaxed, dark eyes glittering mischievously like a child who had just gotten a hold of a machine gun. "But since he's gone now, I'll explain it to you. The golden items you both hold in your hands are two of seven objects called the Sennen Items."

"Sennen Items…" Yugi repeated, looking back down at his golden puzzle in awe.

"They are the powers of darkness that exist in this temple," Yami no Bakura continued smugly. "They are Yami no Artifacts, hidden away underground for centuries. They have been waiting all that time for the chosen ones to arise again to release them."

"But if there are seven items that doesn't make sense," Yugi commented pondering. "That guy said before we entered the next test that his mission would be finished after he gave us the power. That means all the items would have had to been given out to people but we should only have three."

"Correct!" Yami no Bakura cried, pointing triumphantly down at Yugi. "That is true but what you don't know is that this guardian already had _two_ Sennen Items in his possession…"

"But that still doesn't add up," Malik added staring down at the dead body at the bottom of the steps. "There would still be two items left over."

Yugi gasped, hit by a sudden realization. "Wait! Remember what that guy also said before we entered our trials? 'I'm glad to see all _five_ of you have made it'," he recalled. "So he was talking about the ones who would claim the items?"

"Yes," Yami no Bakura said, face darkening. "You see, all five chosen souls were in that room."

"But who are the other two souls?" Malik questioned.

"Well, lets see…" Yami no Bakura brought up a hand as though to count on his fingers. "One, the Sennen Puzzle…" he pointed to Yugi. "Two, the Sennen Rod…" he pointed to Malik. "Three, the Sennen Ring…" He raised up another golden object, in the shape of a ring, five golden pointers clinking menacingly along its edge.

The hairs on the back of Yugi's back were prickling. Something was wrong, something was very, _very_ wrong.

"Four, the Sennen Eye …" Yami no Bakura reached into the pockets of his long black coat and pulled out a round golden ball. Then, to Yugi's and Malik's utter horror, a glowing transparent form of a young man with silvery long hair and a patch over his left eye appeared above Yami no Bakura's head. His good eye held an empty lifeless look; his body was curled up like a doll, rotating slightly in the darkness of the temple.

"Pegasus-san!" Yugi cried in horror.

_Pegasus!_ Yami no Yugi exclaimed as well.

"You know that guy?" Malik asked curiously.

"He was patient in the mental hospital," Yugi explained bewildered. "But how is he here?"

"Five," Yami no Bakura continued as though there had been no interruption, his voice hissing unkindly. "The Sennen Tauk…" He pulled a golden collar out of his pocket.

The spectral form of Ishizu Ishtar, long black hair flying around her closed dead face, surfaced next to Yami no Bakura's shoulder.

"Ishtar-sensei!" Yugi gaped, stunned and shocked. He heard the air escape from Malik's lungs as he saw his sister's stiffened dead form floating there. Malik's violet eyes were unusually round; horror echoed all his features.

"Ne-san…" he mouthed hopelessly, copper face pale. "Why is she…here?"

"And of course, the Sennen Key and the Sennen Scales, gifts from our fallen guide." Yami no Bakura revealed two more golden items from the folds of his coat. One was in the shape of a large ankh, the other a set of ancient measuring scales. His eyes practically sparkled as he said, "That makes seven…"

But Malik was back. His face suddenly hardened, burning rage ran through his skin. "What have you done to my sister, you _bastard_?" he cried hatefully. Yami no Bakura actually grinned as though Malik's reaction amused him.

"What? You're not _pleased_, Malik? I thought you said you wanted her dead? Didn't you wish she'd die? I made your wish come true!" he explained graciously, face lighting up insanely.

"WHAT THE HELL HAVE YOU DONE TO HER! BAKURA!" Malik screamed. Before Yugi could stop him, Malik had raised the Sennen Rod over his head and charged blindly at the white haired demon, golden blade flashing.

"Malik!" Yugi cried a warning, trying to stop him but it was too late. Malik didn't even have time to reach the bottom of the stone steps when the ring-like pendent around Yami no Bakura's neck suddenly glowed and with a flash of golden light Malik was thrown across the room by a blast of shadow magic. He landed flat on his back, sliding across the floor. Yugi ran to his side. "Malik are you alright?" he asked urgently.

"I'm fine!" Malik growled angrily, pulling himself to his feet.

Across the stone temple Yami no Bakura tilted his head back and laughed, Yugi winced at the piercing sound. "Is that all you can do?" he cried.

"Bakura!" Yugi cried stepping in front Malik before the Egyptian could respond. Bakura stopped laughing, his gaze focusing on Yugi. "What is going on? Why are Pegasus-san and Ishtar-sensei here?"

"Here?" Yami no Bakura asked. He straightened himself up, standing on top of the stone tablet dominantly, all five golden object glistening threateningly in his pale hands. "They are the other two chosen ones, of course. But you misunderstand, their bodies aren't here anymore. Their flesh is long dead. Now only their souls remain. They are all part of my collection now."

"Your collection?" Yugi repeated. He felt sick. Malik behind him was trembling with anger, violent violet eyes trying to drill holes in Yami no Bakura's head.

"Did you know," Yami no Bakura commented, a pale finger tracing the eye of his Sennen Ring. "My yadonushi's item can tract down other Sennen Items," Yami no Bakura explained. The five pointers on the outside of the Ring glowed and trembled threateningly. "But its true power is the ability to seal souls."

"Seal souls?" Yugi repeated, cold feverish sweat on his shaking hands.

"Seven years ago that man Pegasus came to Egypt," Yami no Bakura explained, jabbing his thumb back at the floating image of the one eyed man. "That man found some interesting stuff here then came back to America to make games."

_I've heard this before!_ Yami no Yugi said to Yugi through the puzzle. _The dark creature that impersonated aibou told me this story. _Yugi frowned, confused.

'Pegasus also has a connection to Egypt,' Yugi thought pondering. 'What exactly is going on here?'

"The man became rich beyond his wildest dreams," Yami no Bakura continued carelessly. "Until one day he hosted a charity auction at a mental health center in Japan, it was a way of introducing the popular game to Japanese public but a strange incident occurred…" At this Yami no Bakura grinned. "While in the center he met a young patient by the name of Ryou Bakura." Yugi and Malik both stiffened, as though they could both guess what was about to happen. "They talked for a while, Pegasus showed my host the game he had invented, Duel Monsters, but I noticed something. I sensed the dark power within his soul. When my host met this man I knew who he was. Gradually I realized he had the power to read minds. I couldn't let this precious opportunity pass, so I sealed a part his soul into me, the part that contained that dark power of course."

"So he lost his ability," Yugi concluded. He remembered when Pegasus had tried reading his mind in the hospital.

'And I thought he was just insane…' Yugi thought pityingly.

"But keep _him_ alive!" Malik snarled. "Why?"

Yami no Bakura shrugged. "I was curious," he admitted. "Even I at that time didn't understand these strange dark powers so I kept him alive to see what would happen." Yami no Bakura's grin deepened. "Naturally he went insane with the sudden loss of his powers, seems as though he had been depending upon them his whole life." He scoffed coldly. "Weakling."

"And he was put in a mental hospital," Yugi continued.

"But don't feel special Malik," Yami no Bakura taunted coolly. "I got rid of him soon afterward when it became clear that he was useless to me. Your sister was not the only one I killed…" Malik snarled again and made to lunge at Yami no Bakura again but Yugi grabbed both his arms this time and held him desperately back.

"Stop Malik!" Yugi ordered. "He still needs to explain!"

"I sick of these explanations!" Malik cried angrily, struggling against Yugi's hold. "He KILLED Ne-san! Now I'm going to KILL _him_!"

"You can try!" Yami no Bakura spat and laughed again.

"But why Ishtar-sensei?" Yugi questioned, finally making Malik calm down a bit. "If she had powers of her own, why try to study ours and blame it all on a mysterious disease?"

"Because Ishizu tried to ignore her abilities," Yami no Bakura answered smoothly. "She saw what was happening to her brother so she believed anything supernatural was dangerous. Even when her visions warned Ishizu of her own death, she ignored them. She saw the future, _Malik's_ future," Yami no Bakura explained gleefully, staring down at Malik couched and broken on the floor. "And she lost all hope. You'll be pleased to know that at the end her life she thought of you, Malik," Yami no Bakura taunted coldly, dark eyes boring into Malik's.

"You killed the others," Malik snarled heatedly. "If you wanted all these Sennen Items things why didn't you try to kill Yugi and I before hand!"

"That was the original plan," Yami no Bakura admitted truthfully. "I was going to take your soul first, Malik, but your darker half kept an annoying close watch on you after we escaped from the hospital. I thought I had a chance in the first test while we were all trapped in that illusion world. It would have been the prefect opportunity to finish off Malik and not have my motives questioned. So I made a temporary truce with Yugi to try to convince his darker half to kill both of you. But _your _dark personality," Yami no Bakura spat pointedly at Yugi, scowling darkly, "Having gone soft under the influence of his container, refused to kill Malik or even Yami no Malik! You disgustingly weak guys and your weak morals stood in my way again…" Yami no Bakura added loathsomely. "I had no choice but to wait for this moment to take the items from you. At least I would be guarantied to over power both of you." Yami no Bakura smirked spitefully.

"You bastard!" Malik screamed, flinging himself at Yami no Bakura, eyes mad. Yugi had to hold him back again. "I'll kill you! I'LL KILL YOU FUCKING BASTARD!"

"But why?" Yugi cried above Malik's screams. "Why are you doing this?" There was still some part of Yugi, some small tiny piece of him that didn't want to believe it.

'This has to be a mistake,' Yugi pleaded. 'Bakura wouldn't do this. He's our friend. Why would he kill all those people?' Yugi felt nauseous. 'How could he do this…?'

_Aibou…_ the voice within his heart spoke. Yugi knew immediately what his other self wanted and silently he excepted.

A flash of golden light, the puzzle around his neck glowed. He slipped backwards, deeper into the mind, feeling his other self come up and take control of the body. Yugi floating by and watched.

"Bakura!" Yami no Yugi cried forcefully, red eyes ablaze with anger. "Why are you doing this? Why are you trying to collect all the Sennen Items!"

The evil smile on Bakura's face vanished. To Yami no Yugi's surprise he suddenly looked angry, even more so even than Malik.

"So you come out at last, mighty one," Bakura spat, poison in ever syllable, black eyes flashing deathly at him. "Come to protect your lighter half? Do you think I am telling him lies?"

"What is your goal, Bakura?" Yami no Yugi shouted taking a step forward. "Why are you collecting the Sennen Items?"

"Why?" Yami no Bakura repeated incredulously. He slid off the stone tablet and stood on the stone altar, shadows and dark power whipping around his head, his white hair flying. Both Malik and Yami no Yugi could feel the impending dark aura coming off his body. "_Why! _Tell me, why is it you people always ask, 'why'? Why? Why do you _think_? To own the unlimited powers of darkness for myself! To complete my mission! Why _else_? Do you think I have some goodly righteous reason for pursuing these items? I am sorry to say that you are _very_ much mistaken. Do you think the people who _made_ these items in the first place had any other reason?" Yami no Bakura hissed, his voice was practically a whisper but somehow Yami no Yugi and Malik caught every word. "You see this lovely slate behind me," Yami no Bakura said gesturing to the stone tablet behind him. "This is where these precious Yami no Sennen Items where made, three thousand years ago."

"Three thousand years ago?" Yami no Yugi exclaimed, shocked.

'That's the same time that guy was talking about!' Yami no Yugi thought.

"_Did you know that the pictographs in this temple actually tell a story? Apparently there was a time three thousand years ago in ancient Egypt when there were real monsters…"_

"Bakura, what happened three thousand years ago?" Yami no Yugi demanded, his curiosity getting the better of him. Yami no Bakura scowled even more deeply.

"So it is true, you have not retrieved those memories yet," the dark soul commented vaguely. Yami no Bakura's eyes went very strange, they were empty, going completely black so that there was no difference between his pupils and his irises so not a light shone within them. "After three thousand years its not surprising. We've been trapped in darkness so long, barely managing to keep our own souls existing. _I_ did not even remember… until today."

"Retrieved those memories?" Yami no Yugi said, he was listening carefully now. "What are you talking about? What do you know?"

"I knew from the moment I met your host there was something different about you," Bakura explained. "I resisted the impulse to kill you and I didn't know why… Do you remember when I told you that you and I are different from Yami no Malik?" Yami no Bakura questioned curtly. Yami no Yugi nodded suspiciously.

"Different?" Malik questioned, looking between Yami no Bakura and Yami no Yugi. "Different how?"

"You said we were not created by our lighter halves," Yami no Yugi recalled, red eyes fixed on Yami on Bakura's ghostly face.

"That's right," Yami no Bakura agreed. "And now I know why. We really existed three thousand years ago."

"But how is that possible?" Malik snapped. "How did you survive for three thousand years?"

"The reason has to do with the event," Yami no Bakura explained darkly. "Three millennia ago, the kingdom of Egypt was in chaos. The pharaoh of this great kingdom gave the order to create the legendary dark Sennen Items in hopes of using their power to purify the land. But you see there is a price for making these evil items," Yami no Bakura growled. There was no humor left in his face, no excitement lighting up his features. There was something cold and closed echoing in his stance, his face covered in shadow. "To make the Sennen Items, you must give ninety-nine _live_ sacrifices."

"Live sacrifices?" Malik mouthed lip trembling. He stared down at his golden Sennen Rod as though he could see the blood dripping off its surface.

"That's right," Bakura spat even more coldly. "Ninety-nine villagers from a local thief town were sacrificed for the mighty pharaoh's cause! An entire village massacred…"

"How do you know this Bakura?" Yami no Yugi questioned cautiously.

"I have seen it," Yami no Bakura answered hollowly. The very air in the room went suddenly still, Yami no Yugi felt his own heart slow down. "The darkness showed me that scene. That's when these memories started coming back…" Yami no Bakura hissed nastily. Yami no Yugi stared hopelessly at the floor, words of the dark creature coming back to him.

"_Did you know, mou hitori no boku, the monsters in ancient Egypt were summoned using dark magic, like the kind you and Bakura-kun and Malik-kun have? …They were originally created to protect the city against invaders but then one day the monsters fell into the wrong hands and starting attacking the city and the people …"_

'Everything that guy was true,' Yami no Yugi realized, his hands clenching and unclenching in frustration. 'They weren't just random stories! Could he have been trying to tell me something? To warn me?'

An electric jolt of sudden suspicion shot through Yami on Yugi's heart. "Could it be…" Yami no Yugi spoke suspiciously. "Bakura, are you that pharaoh?"

"Me?" Yami no Bakura cried humorously. He laughed again, cold harsh and icy. "You've got it wrong, mighty one. I am not this pharaoh, you are."

"What!" Yami no Yugi exclaimed stunned, taking a step back.

"Yugi-kun?" Malik cried, staring utterly shocked at Yami no Yugi.

_Mou hitori no boku_, Yugi spoke. _It couldn't be…_

"If I am the pharaoh then who are you?" Yami no Yugi questioned fiercely.

"Apparently, you created your own worst enemy that day," Yami no Bakura commented coolly, straightening back up. "Turns out there was one survivor of the Kuru Eruna massacre, a boy who had watched as his entire village was slaughtered," Yami no Bakura explained, tone deadly calm and blank. "He grew up carrying the hatred and pain of his clan, growing stronger, even stronger than the pharaoh's own priests, perhaps even stronger the pharaoh himself…" Yami no Bakura's face cracked into a cold unhealthy grin. "He was called 'the Thief King' and ruled over the darkness and commanded it as he pleased! He attacked the pharaoh, stole a Sennen Item! Destroyed the pharaoh's precious city!" Yami no Bakura's grin widened painfully, white fangs could be seen in the darkness.

"That is not the end of the story?" Yami no Yugi questioned stiffly, red eyes narrowing.

"Indeed," Yami no Bakura spat ruthlessly. "With last of his power, the pharaoh and his remaining priests sealed the thief king's and the pharaoh's souls, as well as all the dark magic, away into the Sennen Items. The items were locked away, never to be used again. The pharaoh's and the tomb robber's souls forever tied to earth with these golden items." His story was finished. No one moved for a few moments, letting these words sink in.

* * *

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

* * *

Well, there you go. That's the plot for the entire story. I'm sure a lot of you already figured most of it out anyway. 

Actually this is one scene cut in half but you see why I had to end it there.

This was one of those death chapters I was talking about. The ones I can't get through without pulling out my own hair or trying to commit seppuku.

Alas, poor Shadi. (sniff)

Malik is so awesome.

Yami no Bakura's a bastard. The fucking hottest bastard of them all but we've been over this already.

Yeah, that was the only part of the Egyptian arch that I liked. The whole Shada and Kalim combining their souls thing cause it really makes sense when you think about it.

Yami no Bakura calls the Sennen Items Yami no Artifacts sometime during the series. Yeah, basically Dark Artifacts, but you all aren't stupid so you probably figured that out too.

Again much apologies for being late... again. Sorry.

**NEXT CHAPTER! **Can you say, CLIMAX? I can. Its climax time, everybody! (everybody cheers) Lots of dramatic things, people falling unconscious and being smacked around with various forms of shadow magic. And of course who could have a climax without Yami's cheesy sayings.

Yeah so now we got... I think... four chapters left. (cries)

**REVIEW!**

Pretend there's a witty and creative comment here, I'm too tried to be funny.

**REVIEW!**


	24. Grave Robber’s Retribution

Ug. My life sucks. But you all don't care, you'd all much rather read my story than listen to me talk about my issues. Can't say I blame you, _I'd_ much you read my story tell me its wonderful than get your dammed sympathy, teehee.

Ok so, the deal is now that Yugi and peoples have got the items all and yamis and hikaris are back in their original bodies. But because they have the items they can go into that astral projection state that Ryou, Yami no Yugi and Yami no Malik were stuck in while their souls were separated. Yeah, that doesn't happen in the show… or manga… I'm horrible. (cries)

As many of you have already noticed this isn't what really happened in Egypt. Yami didn't really make the items, his father did but I really didn't want to spend _another five pages _explaining all the little meticulous details that are completely insignificant to my particular storyline. So yeah, I made it a whole lot simpler for laziness' sake.

Oh-sama: "Oh" means king, and "sama" is a suffix for someone who is your lord or master person, basically Bakura is making fun of Yami no Yugi when he says this.

This chapter, brought to you by the Power of Cheese. Never underestimate the Power of the Cheese, my friends…

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**Chyaputa 24: Grave Robber's Retribution **

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The ancient temple went utterly silent; the only sound was the eerie wind swirling around Yami no Bakura's form. Yami no Yugi's hands were balled into shaking fists at his sides.

"So, what your saying is… all this killing, all of this is because of a grudge you've held against me for three thousand years?" he questioned sharply, words ringing painfully through the silence in a voice that would have made anyone else crumble onto the stone floor. "You killed Pegasus, Ishtar-sensei and this guardian just for some _cheap revenge_, Bakura!" he snapped enraged. "I told you before, I don't know who I am! I don't know if I lived before or if I have my own soul! I don't know what I did three thousand years ago that could make you so angry! But Bakura!" Yami no Yugi screamed. He stepped forward, away from Malik and spread his arms open wide, eyes fierce and challenging. "I won't let you hurt anyone else! Let me take your anger and hatred! Take it out on me! I'll return them to darkness!"

'Is this what you were talking about?' Yami no Yugi realized, thinking back to dark creature he had faced in his test. 'You said everyone is suffering, even Yami no Bakura. Could this really be because of me? Because of what I've done?'

Yami no Bakura stared for a moment, examining Yami no Yugi's ridiculous stance and then once again he roared with laughter, madness still had its hold over his emotions. "Now you _are_ assuming things! I'm quite over you destroying my village but thanks to you I'm barely a person! All that hatred that's been festering within me for centuries has become me; I am darkness, I am hatred. This is no longer about revenge! I'm simply carrying out the fate and sin that you created when you ordered the making the Sennen Items! And once I have them all I'll get my old body back, I'll rule all things and no one, not even _you_, will be able to stop me!" He was laughing now, cold and hollow, the air quivered from his harsh voice. Insanity had taken hold; it curled around his fingers and stretched out his pale skin.

Yami no Yugi scowled deeply, something in Yami no Bakura's words had caught his attention. "What was that, Bakura? Did you say you'd get your old body back?" he spat cruelly, eyes glowing furiously. Yami no Bakura suddenly stopped laughing. "What was your plan for your host then? What are you going to do with your other soul once you no longer need him? Will you leave him to be sacrificed to the darkness as well!" Yami no Bakura snorted unkindly and his left eye twitched threateningly.

"You shouldn't be worried about such trivial things that don't concern you," Yami no Bakura replied calmly, his voice relieving no emotion. "Worry about your own problems. Like how I am about to take both of your items from you." His twinkling excited eyes were back. "If you give me them peacefully maybe I'll let your lighter halves live a little while longer."

Yami no Yugi hesitated, brain buzzing. If he gave his Sennen Item over to Bakura, would he let Yugi live? Yami no Yugi's iron will shook.

'Is this mess is all because of me?' Yami no Yugi thought horrified. 'Will aibou be dragged down into the darkness because of me?'

"Shut the hell up, Bakura!" Malik cried angrily, gripping his own item closer to his chest. "You'll never get our items! Never!" Yami no Yugi stared at the Egyptian uneasily.

'Aibou… if aibou could live…'

_Don't you even think about that, mou hitori no boku!_ Yugi screamed. Yami no Yugi started out of his own thoughts as though he had just been slapped in the face.

'But aibou… if you could live…' Yami no Yugi thought hopelessly. He looked up at Bakura once last time. 'If I could save you from that…'

_Save me? A life without you would be no life at all! I won't leave you, mou hitori no boku! No matter what! _Yami no Yugi dropped his head and smiled. Yugi had said the exact same thing in the illusion forest world when Yami no Yugi had told him to run.

'Right… of course. Forgive me, aibou,' Yami no Yugi corrected himself. 'I will fight for both of us.' His lighter half sighed with relief.

"Bakura!" Yami no Yugi cried sharply, head snapping up again, a new stronger determination in his eyes. "I won't let you reach that dark power! If I somehow stopped you back then I can stop you now!"

"You think so?" Yami on Bakura hissed. "Haven't I already explained it to you? It is useless to struggle. Or perhaps you would like to count yourself? I have five Sennen Items; together you and Malik have two. It is only a matter of time before they both become mine."

"Are you sure about that?" Yami no Yugi snapped, red eyes hardening. "There are more factors in this game other then your Sennen Items, Bakura!"

Yami no Bakura's grin faltered slightly in irritation. "Really?" he scoffed. "And what else do you plan to fight with? Do you have another power up your sleeve, Oh-sama?"

"We have the power of unity, Bakura!" Yami no Yugi shouted, red eyes glowing from the bottom of the steps. "You might have five items but there is only one of you and three of us!" To strengthen this argument, a transparent form of Yugi appeared at his darkness' side, purple eyes steadfast.

"Make that four," Malik added firmly. Both Yugis turned to see a transparent form of Yami no Malik appear next to his light. Yugi and Yami no Yugi took a step back for a moment, evidently they had not forgotten the incident in the illusion world.

/You sure this is okay, Malik/ Yugi asked cautiously, eyeing Yami no Malik skeptically. Malik nodded definitely.

"Don't worry, everything is okay. Besides he says he wants to help," Malik reassured. Yugi and his darkness turned to each other and nodded. Meanwhile Yami no Bakura was staring at the four souls down on floor with an almost gleefully degrading expression.

"Power of _unity_!" he spat, eyes alight with unbelieving amusement. "Don't make me _laugh_! Trying to threaten me with this disgusting power! No matter how you all stand you are all _still_ less powerful then I am!" He laughed, face twisted. It looked like he was drunk with power. The air around him twisted writhed. "Well, lets see if your power of unity can stand up to my attack," Yami no Bakura hissed dangerously.

Both Yugis and both Maliks watched in horror as all five sennen items lit up in Yami no Bakura's hands. The over whelming pressure was amazing, Yami no Yugi felt as though he was going to be thrown backwards at any minute.

Yugi reached over and clutched his darkness' hand. Yami no Yugi turned to his light, their eyes connected for a brief moment, absolute unspoken trust passed between them. Yugi gave him a small brave smile. Yami no Yugi nodded and turned to Malik.

"Brace yourselves," Yami no Yugi advised to his comrades.

The dark power whipped around Yami no Bakura's body, he looked as though he could have been lifted right off the ground and floated ten feet in the air.

"Hang around in hell forever," Yami no Bakura snarled. The air screamed as thousands of rays of dark power cascaded down upon the heroes heads. At the exact last second all four of them released a combined shield to meet on coming flood of darkness.

There was a loud ear-splitting crack. The whole temple shook. The shield around them shattered almost instantly. All four of them were thrown backwards against the wall, Yugi's hand was ripped from his grasp. The darkness so cold and biting against Yami no Yugi's skin it felt like he was burning, like it was eating at his flesh and his very bones. He screamed, he heard the others around him crying out as well. For a moment he couldn't see anything, he couldn't think or remember anything then slowly the darkness faded, the temple materialized around him again.

He was panting, struggling to breathe; his lungs were stiff as though they had forgotten how to expand. He turned around and saw Yugi's ghostly form curled up against the wall a few feet away, shivering. Yami no Yugi immediately jumped up and ran to lighter half, fear driving his stiff legs.

"Aibou!" Yami no Yugi cried frantically and leaned down to help his lighter personality. Yugi looked up shakily.

/What was that? I felt so cold…/ Yugi said as Yami no Yugi helped him to his trembling feet.

"Are you okay?" Yami no Yugi asked concerned, wrapping his arms around Yugi's shoulders.

/Yeah, I'm alive/ Yugi reassured grimly, wincing.

_Mou hitori no boku, that was too powerful! If he continues attacking us like that we won't survive much longer!_ Yugi admitted through the mind link. His voice was thin and frightened. _There has got to be something else we can do!_

_But what? _Yami no Yugi cried, voice strained and panicked. He knew his lighter half was right. There was no way they could beat Yami no Bakura, he had too much power. Yami no Yugi looked over at Malik and Yami no Malik slowly pull themselves off the ground. _We've barely any power left and Bakura's got no weak points…_ Yami no Yugi pondered hopelessly.

_Wait!_ Yugi exclaimed suddenly, purple eyes growing wide. _That's it! Bakura does have a weakness! _Yugi cried. Yami no Yugi stared down at his light puzzled.

_What? _Yami no Yugi repeated. Yugi nodded excitedly.

_There is one more person we haven't called out to yet!_ Yugi explained. _The other Bakura. If we got him to stand up to his darker half then we might have a chance!_ _He could attack from the inside while we get him from out here!_

Yami no Yugi's eyes widened. _That might… actually work. _The light of hope came back into his pale face. _But how will we reach him? _

Yugi frowned in thought. /Malik/ he hissed, walking over to the Egyptian. The platinum blonde haired teenager looked up. /We need your help./

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Yami no Bakura watched his prey scatter, power burnt out, and then fall helplessly to the ground. A savage joy alighted in Yami no Bakura's blood; a powerful rush of adrenaline at made his body shiver with excitement. It was pure ecstasy; the dark power was infused in every fiber of his being. He could feel it eating it's away down into his core, feeding and driving his hate and anger as it went. This was _wonderful_. This was better than he had imaged. He felt like, no, he _knew_ at that moment no one could stop him. Power, there was so much power it was leaking out of him, in his clothes, in his thoughts, in his mind, in his sight. And once he got the last two items it would be complete. He could get his own body; he could control the world. At last, after all his careful studious planning.

The group in front of him staggered weakly back onto their feet. Yami no Bakura had no worries. That shot had been nothing, merely a warning yet it had already done so much damage.

"That was just a taste," he hissed, black darkness dripping out of his mouth as he spoke. "None of you will survive the next shot." They all knew it too, he could see it in their frightened eyes. Yami no Bakura laughed, the darkness trembled in the air around him, feeling his drunken rapture.

Yami no Bakura's hungry gaze drifted over his enemies and then suddenly his black eyes caught on Malik's bright violet ones. There was a sharp pain in the back of his head. Yami no Bakura gasped, hand clutching his skull.

It felt as though something was digging painfully into his brain.

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The room had stopped spinning a while ago but Ryou was still curled up at the place where his darkness had left him. His head was still throbbing from the forcefulness of the visions. Even as Ryou lay there, knees folded up to his chest they came back to him in flashes. Ryou flinched weakly, trembling like mad.

_Bakura-kun…_ a voice could be faintly heard over the chaos of Ryou's own thoughts. For a moment Ryou thought is must have been in his head mingling with all the other screams and cries of pain but then it came again more urgently. _Bakura-kun, can you hear me?_ Then finally, Ryou recognized it.

"Yu-gi…kun?" Ryou croaked, throat as dry as sand paper.

_Bakura-kun, you've got to help us! _Yugi cried. His voice sounded desperate. _Your other self is going to kill us! _

Ryou did not move on the floor.

"Kill…" he mouthed softly.

_Bakura-kun please, you're the only one who might be able to stop him! The whole world is in danger!_ Yugi cried shrilly. Ryou kept his eyes on the floor, unmoving, blank and dead.

"I know, Yugi-kun…" Ryou answered.

_So are you going to help us? _Yugi asked hopefully.

There was a long pause. Ryou opened his mouth but found he had nothing to say.

_Bakura-kun?_ Yugi asked after Ryou didn't answer.

"Yugi…" Ryou's head was still aching, it was so painful to speak. "I… can't…" he admitted.

_What! But Bakura-kun,_ Yugi exclaimed, panicking. _He's going to take away our items! If he does that… _Yugi hesitated. _Do you know what that means! _His voice was so shrill. The burning in Ryou's brain moved down to his eyes.

"I'm sorry… I can't…" Ryou repeated. "I… you haven't seen what he's been through…"

_He's going to take my other half! He's going to take him away from me! Please Bakura-kun!_ Yugi was begging now. Ryou was burning, tears dripping out of his eyes down onto the dirt floor.

"I'm sorry…" Ryou repeated.

There was silence. Ryou assumed that Yugi had left. Now he was alone again, trembling on the cold dirt floor.

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With a roar of rage, Yami no Bakura flung a whip of darkness at Malik. It hit the Egyptian hard in the stomach, snapping his connection to Yami no Bakura's thoughts, throwing Malik back against the wall, this time knocking him unconscious. Yami no Malik dove down to his lighter half trying to wake him up.

"You bastards! Trying to control me!" Yami no Bakura laughed harshly. "Me? I'm on a different level from you all!"

"What happened? Did you manage to contact him?" Yami no Yugi questioned Yugi anxiously, squeezing his light's shoulder. Yugi nodded solemnly, large purple eyes hollow.

/Yes but… he's not going to help us…/ Yugi answered. Painful, heavy, dread filled his stomach once again. /He can't turn against his darker half…/ That had been their last hope. There was no way they could survive Yami no Bakura's next blow. They were all going to die.

Yugi grabbed Yami no Yugi's arm desperately. Their eyes connected once again.

"Aibou…" Yami no Yugi said and pulled Yugi's body into a fierce hug, clutching frantically at him. Yugi sobbed into Yami no Yugi's shoulder.

_At least we'll be together…_ Yugi thought.

Yami no Yugi held Yugi tighter. _Forever, aibou…_

Yami no Malik was crouching on the floor, his lighter half's limp unconscious body lay in his arms dark arms, like a child desperately holding onto his mother's corpse. Yami no Malik's dead white eyes gazed down at his light fearfully, stroking Malik's pale blonde hair lovingly with his clawed dark fingers.

/Wake up, wake up/ he ordered harshly. /We can't die, main personality-sama, I won't let us…/ he hissed in Malik's ear, voice trembling, pleading.

Satanic laugher filled the room as once again five Sennen Items began to glow.

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Time was passing as it did back in the illusion world forest. He was sure he had been lying there for days, years, decades… millenniums? The room stank just as much as it had when he had entered it. All the torches had gone out except for the one above Ryou's head; he was surround by a glowing orb of orange flickering light. Now that his head was clear though, Ryou thought he saw the darkness shifting around him. Drawing closer?

Ryou blinked.

The darkness shifted again.

Ryou sat up suddenly. Was it just him or did it seem like the darkness in his darker personality's mind was growing. It felt like he was sitting on the edge of a cliff, his toes hanging off the very edge, if he took even one step forward he would surely fall, be consumed by the ever mounting darkness.

The torch above his head crackled. Ryou flinched. He knew if it went out, the darkness would reach him. But the torch seemed to be growing weaker by the second, or was the darkness growing stronger? Ryou was afraid.

Then a sound came out of the darkness. A soft airy sound. Ryou's ears strained to listen, eyes stung as they tried to penetrate the darkness. The sound was becoming louder. It must have been coming closer. Ryou suddenly recognized it as breathing.

A small human figure stumbled out of the darkness. Its wide fearful eyes fixed on the light above Ryou's head. Its weak legs tripped and fell forward. Ryou caught him and was actually surprised to feel the weight of its cold shivering body fall into his pale arms.

"Shh, it's okay," Ryou cooed softly, holding the figure in his lap. "You're safe now…" The child looked up. His white hair was stained with blood, dirt and filth and the filthy ripped and torn rag he was wearing could not cover up the enormous amount of bruising covering his golden brown skin. His body had been marred and beaten, littered cuts and burns.

'He's been…' A horrible hollow sorrowful feeling writhed in his gut. Ryou suddenly felt sick. The child's mouth opened but no sound came out. The boy pointed out into the darkness urgently.

"No, it can't hurt you anymore," Ryou said kindly. The boy shook his head and pointed out into the darkness once again, more forcefully. "I don't understand…" Ryou protested.

The boy struggled to his feet and tugged on Ryou's sleeve, pointing yet again into the darkness.

"You want me to go in there?" Ryou asked fearfully. The child nodded and tugged at Ryou' sleeve again. Ryou hesitated. "I can't… it will eat me," he protested again. The boy's face was lined with pain, his innocent eyes pleading.

_He needs you… _

Ryou bit his lip nervously. The child clutched Ryou's hand. Ryou looked up at the torch and then slowly and awkwardly stood up. The boy pulled the white haired teenager into the darkness and Ryou stepped off the cliff.

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A feeling was bubbling up in his system. Hard to describe. It made his blood rush; too much oxygen and darkness flowing in to his brain making him dizzy.

Was this joy? Was he happy? Excited? Aroused?

The darkness felt so good on his skin, so numbingly cold his body was dissolving into it. His organs were protesting under the pressure, the darkness eating at his human flesh. He was burning, drowning, intoxicated in pain. It hurt and yet it felt so good.

'It's only temporary,' Yami no Bakura told himself. 'Soon I'll get back my old body. I'll get the power of darkness… I will win.' His was drunk on the darkness.

"It's over. There's no reason to draw this out any longer," Yami no Bakura hissed. The feeling was boiling up in him again, rising up out of his throat like bile. He laughed as all five Sennen Items lit up in his hands. He could see the four insignificant figures lined up against the wall. They knew it was the end.

Once more the darkness trembled, making the room scream as it tore through the air, circling around Yami no Bakura's crouched rigid form. All the torches in the temple went out. There was totally blackness in the underground stone temple, the only light coming from the five glowing items in Yami no Bakura's hands.

"Die," the word was whispered from Yami no Bakura's pale chapped lips.

But before the darkness could reach the four figures on the other side of the room, the Sennen Ring suddenly grew red-hot in Yami no Bakura's pale hands. He cried out, cursing, and dropped the scorching hot metal impulsively. It clanged as it tumbled down the steps of the stone temple and skidded across the stone floor.

Everyone in the room shielded their eyes as blinding white light exploded from the middle of the room. The tendrils of darkness cringed and trembled unpleasantly in the light, retreating back to their master's side. The white light was coming from the Sennen Ring on the floor. The light stretched curving around Yugi, Malik and the others like a giant shield.

Yami no Bakura's black pupils shrunk, his mouth left slightly open.

"No…" he muttered, still shocked. "No, no, _no_, _NO_!" he screamed recovering himself, enrage. "You will _not_ stand against me, yadonushi!"

/Bakura-kun…/ Yugi mouthed, stunned purple eyes growing wide, staring at the shining white shield.

"He came back for us," Yami no Yugi gaped, arms still wrapped around his aibou.

"_I'm taking back what is mine,"_ the voice of Bakura Ryou echoed from the white light coming from the Sennen Ring. _"I will not let you use the item I found against my friends! I will not let you hurt them!"_

"You _bastard_!" Yami no Bakura screamed, deadly furious. "How DARE you stand against me! This will accomplish nothing! I'm still stronger than all of you!"

"_Maybe so,"_ Bakura Ryou spoke. _"But I will not sit back and watch you kill them! I'm going to fight too!"_

The darkness surrounding Yami no Bakura was still pulsing, seething and hungry. It desired to consume. It desired to consume the light. Black inky tendrils dripped oozing to the floor creeping forward towards the glowing shield.

Yami no Bakura's eyes suddenly widened in realization.

'Wait… Yadonushi's tapped into the power of the Sennen Ring but the Ring doesn't have the power to create shields, it can only manipulate souls. This should be impossible… unless… he's created a shield out of his own soul…' Yami no Bakura hesitated, his whole body trembling. 'If that shield is broken, his soul will die… this is _suicide_!'

The next second the darkness leapt hungrily forward with a roar. There was a scream, the white shield shattered, its glittering pieces dissolving into the air.

Silence.

All the torches were out, nothing could be seen through the darkness.

Then a small pop in everyone's ears. Like a vacuum, air rushed violently forward passed Yami no Yugi's face, whipping his multicolored hair around his head. It was like a giant tornado had appeared in the temple. There was a loud unpleasant cracking sound above their heads.

"The temple's collapsing!" Yami no Yugi's voice shouted through the fierce wind. The violent gusts suddenly stopped, followed by another loud crack and the sound of falling rock. "We need to get out of here!" he cried. But the room around them was still pitch black; they had no way of finding the exit.

With another loud crunching sound of cracking stone, part of the ceiling above them collapsed. Sunlight flooded into the temple. The power of darkness was gone. Yami no Malik had taken control of Malik's body was now running toward the exit and caved in ceiling had created. Yami no Yugi turned to follow.

_What about Bakura!_ Yugi shouted. He had already returned to Yami no Yugi's mind. Yami no Yugi looked frantically around and saw an unconscious white haired figure lying in the middle of the floor, the golden Sennen Ring clutched desperately in his pale hand. Yami no Yugi ran over, picked Bakura Ryou up and carried him out of the collapsing ancient stone temple.

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Wooo! Exciting, ne? That's one fucking awesome chapter if I do say so myself.

Bet you're all confused now. This chapter kinda… ends suddenly but I like it that way, makes you all want to read MORE! Good thing there's still three chapters to go. YAY!

(bursts into seizers of uncontrollable laughter) And that's such a Yami thing to say too, "WE HAVE THE POWER OF UNITY, BITCH! _FEAR_ OUR UNITY! THAT'S RIGHT, BOW DOWN!" (more mad seizers of laughter) God, SO cheesy!

Bakura and Ryou is my favorite pairing. Can you tell? Does it show a little bit you think? (muses) But Ryou was so fucking kick ass in this chapter! WOOT!

NEXT CHAPTER! Wait! I don't understand? What exactly happened at the end of this chapter? Which Bakura is controlling the body now and why? What happened to all the other items? Stupid Yami Hitokiri and her dammed cliff hangers! (shakes fists threateningly) One thing she can tell you though, **JOUNOUCHI AND KAIBA RETURN AGAIN!** YAY!

**REVIEW! **

Come on guys we've all got to (snicker) _bond_ together under one mighty cause, in this case its reviewing! We got to stand together, (snicker) only then can we defeat the forces of… of _evil_! You know, 4 Kids Entertainment, dubbed anime and tree sap. ITS EVIL MAN! _EEEVIL_!

**REVIEW!**


	25. Ray of Hope

Woah, two weeks already? I'm shocked. I haven't even been that busy, at all. In fact I've done like nothing except go to all these stupid doctors appointments. That saddens me, that and summer vacation is officially half over. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! (world crashes)

This epilogue is exceedingly long (shrug) but I like it this way. Yeah this is sorta part 1 of 3 of the ending or "dénouement" as my drama teacher would say, so don't get all sad at the end f this chapter you still got two more to go.

Two new Japanese phrases: "nii-sama" – very honorably way of saying brother and then "Tou-san" – one of the many ways to say father, not extremely honorable like "Chichiue" (what Malik calls his father) not very informal either

Grrrr, I get really angry every time I upload this onto because all the conversations with / 's cuts off the end punctuation, example /NO/ (There are exclamation points there, you just can't see them) Really pisses me off but, hey, I can only blame myself for putting them there.

GO JOUNOUCHI/SETO! I LOVE YOU GUYS!

I also love my readers, they are my reasons for living! (gives happiness to readers)

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**Chyaputa 25: Ray of Hope**

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"Are you sure, Ryou?" Malik asked suspicious, lilac eyes glaring down at the four remaining golden Sennen Items on the table. Ryou nodded his white haired head solemnly. 

"I'm sure. Those items have no power left in them anymore. To use one of the Sennen Items you need to have the soul of the destined person inside of you. My darker personality could only use these four Sennen Items because he had sealed all four souls of the other chosen ones within himself," Ryou explained, sitting cross-legged on his woven papyrus mat that he was using as a bed.

"And all four souls were released? You are absolutely certain?" Yami no Yugi questioned firmly, leaning coolly up against the sun-dried mud brick wall of Rishido's house. Ryou nodded again.

"The seals are gone, all four souls can rest in peace now," Ryou answered. His pale hand was gripping his own Sennen Ring rather desperately. He hadn't let go of the thing since he had woken up.Malik was staring down at the four remaining unclaimed golden objects.

"Even so, I would feel safer if they were put away somewhere where no one could reach them anymore," he said seriously. He reached down toward the Sennen Tauk, one copper finger tracing the golden eye. Ryou watched him for a moment then bent his head gravely.

"I agree," Yami no Yugi added. Ryou nodded, wordlessly. "Is there anywhere that would be safe here in Egypt, Rishido?" Yami no Yugi asked, turning to the older Egyptian man also in the room with them. "I don't think they should leave the country."

"I could find a place," Rishido answered, bowing respectfully.

"Good." Malik snatched his hand away from the Sennen Tauk and turned forcefully away from the table. "So now that these items have been cleared up, what are everyone's plans?" he asked more cheerfully. The golden Sennen Puzzle around Yami no Yugi's neck glowed and Yugi replaced his darker half in the body.

"Well… I guess we need to go back home to Japan," Yugi said. "My grandfather and mom will probably be wondering where I went."

"What about you Ryou?" Malik asked. Ryou bent his head again, brown eyes looking at the floor.

"I don't know. Maybe I'll try to look up my father again. He's the only family I have left…" he muttered. Malik and Yugi glanced at each other uneasily.

"If you guys want you could stay here for a couple more days before heading home," Malik suggested. "You know, just to recuperate." Yugi nodded.

"That would be great," Yugi agreed. Ryou looked up and nodded as well.

"Sounds nice," he added, smiling pleasantly.

"Awesome! Well, if you guys are staying we'll need something to eat! I'll go to the bazaar and get stuff," Malik said briskly and moved toward the door.

"I could go, Malik-sama," Rishido offered.

"No, no, I need the walk," Malik said and walked out of the door. Rishido looked worriedly after his master.

"I'd better start the laundry then," Rishido said and went to finish his chores. Ryouand Yugi were left alonein the room. Yugi glanced nervously at his friend. Communications had been stressed between them for the passed week of everyone's recovery. Ryou had woken up to find himself tied down, seeing as Yugi and Malik hadn't known whether it would be him or his darker half they would find when his body returned to consciousness.

"Has he said anything?" Yugi asked awkwardly, stealing a glance at Ryou again. Ryou looked up to meet Yugi's eye.

"Nope. He hasn't said a word," Ryou answered and he smiled. Yugi looked confused.

"But aren't you worried that your darker half hasn't said anything to you?" Yugi asked. Ryou thought about this for a moment and then shrugged.

"He'll talk when he wants, I can't really force him to do anything," Ryou said truthfully. Yugi nodded and placed a hand on his golden puzzle. He could feel a deep stirring of troubled thoughts within. Something was troubling his darker side too, although he hadn't said anything to Yugi yet.

"I still can't believe that we all survived that day," Yugi commented. "I was certain we were going to die. What exactly did you do?" Yugi prodded his friend curiously, sitting down at the foot of his mat.

Ryou shrugged. "I didn't really do anything," he admitted truthfully. "I knew I had to at least try to protect you guys so I made that soul shield. To tell you the truth I thought I was going to die there too. But then…" Ryou toyed with the end of his shirt nervously. "I remember the darkness attacking me and this big explosion then… I guess I blacked out."

"But Bakura must have stopped his attack somehow, that would have been the only way you could have survived," Yugi pointed out. "So... the only way he could have stopped the darkness from attacking you was by releasing the seals on the chosen one's souls? But he knew he was never going to be able to use the Sennen items if he broke the seals… and still he saved you?"

Ryou bit his lip, maybe out of nerves, maybe to stop himself from grinning. He suddenly became much more interested in texture of the papyrus mat below him. "I guess…" he muttered softly. The Sennen Ring's pointers clicked pleasantly.

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Jounouchi had been staring at the phone for the last fifteen minutes. A large yellowing phone book lay open on his lap, the number for Kaiba Corporation was printed near the top under a large advertisement. Hard as he tried, Jounouchi had been unable to find Kaiba's home phone number so this would have to do. This was the best chance he had at contacting Kaiba again.

It had been one week since his release from the mental hospital, practically a month since he had last seen Kaiba. His last days in the hospital had been hell. His new roommate had been a real nutter, not someone you could talk to, not that one could talk to Kaiba Seto. Otogi and Honda had still been ignoring him so the blonde had to eat his meals and hang out all by himself. Eventually they had come around and forgave him or he forgave them, Jounouchi couldn't quite remember which.

"I'm going to do this," Jounouchi ordered himself firmly, glaring at the phone. He stood there for another five minutes. Why was this so hard? Why was he even calling Kaiba anyway? What was the point? What the hell was Jounouchi even trying to get out of talking to him?

The blonde's hand landed on the phone. He wasn't even aware that he had picked it up and dialed the number until it started ringing in his ear.

"Hello, Kaiba Corporations, may I help you?" a cool female's voice spoke.

"Ah, hi, I would like to speak to Kaiba Seto, please," Jounouchi said bluntly. There was a pause, the hairs on the back of Jounouchi's neck prickled.

"Do you have an appointment?" she asked warily.

"No, I don't. Look, just tell him my name is Jounouchi Katsuya. He should remember that," Jounouchi instructed bravely. There was another long pause.

"We're going to have to put you on hold," the woman said and soft elevator music began playing in Jounouchi's ear. The blonde groaned and flopped down on his bed and stared up at the clock, preparing himself for the wait.

A half an hour passed and Jounouchi started to get cranky. He was glaring at the ceiling, the phone's receiver digging painfully into his ear. The same annoying elevator music was repeating itself over and over again. Forty-five minutes passed and Jounouchi started pacing the room. The sun had practically gone down outside his window. Jounouchi was almost ready to hang up and call again when the music finally stopped.

"I'm sorry, Kaiba-sama isn't taking any personal calls at the moment."

"I've been on hold for an HOUR and that's all you can say to me!" Jounouchi roared. "Did you tell him my name? Did you say _Jounouchi Katsuya_ wanted to talk to him!" His patience had run out, his temper was now boiling over into the phone.

"The CEO is a very busy man…" the woman protested weakly.

"I don't fucking care! I know him, alright!" 

"I'm sorry but no one can speak to the CEO without an appointment…"

"But I know him!" Jounouchi screamed. "Can you at least give me another number to call or something?" he asked desperately.

"I could transfer you to another operator…" the woman suggested.

"Good, fine. Anything, just let me speak to him," Jounouchi agreed hastily.

"Alright, please hold," the woman said the infamous music started again.

"No! Don't put me on hold!" Jounouchi screamed but it was no use, the woman could no longer hear him. Jounouchi let out a roar of frustration and threw the phone back onto its holder.

"Dammed fucking bastard!" he snarled, positively fuming.

(-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-)

/Oi/ Yami no Malik called warily, his transparent form leaning against the wooden table, his expression looking utterly and completely bored. Malik ignored his darker half and continued peeling the shriveled potato in his hands with the golden blade of the Sennen Rod. Yami no Malik's eye twitched dangerously. /Oi/ he snapped again. Malik continued to ignore him and flicked the peeled skin of the vegetable into the bowel. Yami no Malik was getting seriously ticked off by now. He slid off his chair and onto the dirt floor of the apartment, crawling over to his lighter half, sitting on the floor a few feet away. /Oi/ he repeated, more angrily.

"What?" Malik snapped, eyes focusing on his potato. Yami no Malik scowled, stood up on his knees and lay on Malik's back, arms falling over Malik's shoulders, his head leaning one side looking down at his light half from behind.

/What the hell do you think you're doing/ Yami no Malik hissed in his ear sadistically.

"Preparing our dinner," Malik answered curtly, he dusted off another piece of potato skin. Yami no Malik's scowl deepened.

/You mean you and your servant's dinner/ Yami no Malik corrected rudely, leaning forward so Malik had to slouch uncomfortably to continue working.

"Not now Yami," Malik half whined half ordered, still trying to peel the vegetable despite his darker side lying on top of him.

/I can't believe you let a servant order you around/ Yami no Malik grumbled. /Shouldn't he be the one peeling and doing all the weak and boring stuff/

"He's not a servant! He's family," Malik snapped fiercely. "The only family I have left." Yami no Malik rolled his light-less eyes insensitively.

/Whatever. How can you use the Sennen Rod like that/ Yami no Malik complained, leaning even farther forward, squishing Malik to the floor. /You're defiling a sacred artifact, you know. It wasn't made to be used as a dammed kitchen tool/ the dark soul hissed threateningly in Malik's ear.

"It's mine and I'll use it as I please," Malik stated firmly, determinedly continuing to peel. Yami no Malik chewed irritably on his bottom lip. Silence stretched in the dull dry heat of the Egyptian air. Malik started on another potato.

/I'm bored/ Yami no Malik commented accusingly, as though this were all his lighter personality's fault. The dark soul poked Malik hard in the side of the head.

"I bet you are," Malik answered coldly, swatting his poking hand away. Yami no Malik groaned and leaned forward again, Malik was almost completely doubled over by now.

/There's nothing to do anymore…/ Yami no Malik commented dryly. /Now that those guys have left./

"Yeah, I do kinda miss Yugi and the others," Malik agreed, picking out one of the potato's eyes. "You know, despite all our almost certain deaths and the whole end of the world stuff, that adventure was pretty fun," Malik reminisced pleasantly. Yami no Malik frowned deeply, looking disgusted.

/I don't think so/ Yami no Malik grumbled darkly. /That dammed bastard almost killed us all, in case you forgot./ Malik grinned.

"You're just angry cause Bakura turned out to be a better villain than you," Malik taunted, smirking smugly.

Yami no Malik scowled again. /Go find someone's mind to control and make them peel stuff/ Yami no Malik ordered forcefully. /Then we can do something else./

"No, I don't feel like controlling anyone right now," Malik answered defiantly. Yami no Malik, now getting very frustrated and annoyed, poked his lighter half in the temple again forcefully. "Ow! Stop that!" Malik cried.

/You are so boring, main personality-sama/ Yami no Malik sneered. An evil glint lit up his pale pupil-less eyes. /I don't like boring./ His arms, still hanging over Malik's shoulders, reached up and snatched the half peeled potato out of Malik's hands.

"Stop that!" Malik ordered reaching for the vegetable and failing, his body very squished now. Yami no Malik grinned and swiped the golden Sennen Rod out of Malik's grip with his other hand. "Give those back!"

/No/ Yami no Malik hissed. He tossed the potato onto the dirt floor a few feet away.

"Yami!" Malik lunched forward to save it but he was too far away.

/No more distractions/ Yami no Malik said, voice dangerously low. Yami no Malik hooked an arm around Malik's neck and tilted sideways bringing both of them to the ground. /The darkness is hungry, main personality-sama./ Before Malik could cry out, Yami no Malik was on top of him and so were his jaws. His sharp tongue danced around in Malik's mouth. Malik gagged and shoved him away.

"You bastard!" Malik cried angrily as soon as his mouth became free. "You ruined my potato!" Yami no Malik smirked, pale eyes wide.

/And what are you going to do about it/ Yami no Malik taunted coolly, pale eyes flashing with glee, getting fully on top of his lighter half.

Malik reached up grabbed two fists full of his darkness' hair and jerked his head violently downward, mouths crashing into each other. A battle for who could shove more of their tongue into the other's mouth began. Teeth bit, lips grew extremely sore and both participants' hands were on the other's head trying to further the violent contact. Finally Malik broke away, panting heavily, trying to fill his lungs with oxygen again. Yami no Malik, having no need to breathe, grinned broadly and mischievously.

/Your punishment excites me/ Yami no Malik hissed. He leaned forward and began attacking his lighter half's neck with his teeth. Malik's heavy breathing increased, his hands grasping his darkness' hips for support.

_I know something interesting we could do,_ Malik suggested through their mind link, his mouth busy leaning down and biting Yami no Malik's ear lobe.

_What, main personality-sama?_ Yami no Malik had pulled up his lighter half's shirt was begun groping sensitive sections of Malik's golden chocolate chest with his mouth. His hands teasingly slid down below Malik's waist._ Isn't this interesting enough for you?_ Yami no Malik asked, dirty thoughts encircling his mind. Malik frowned inwardly.

_How would you like to go on another plane ride?_ Malik asked. Yami no Malik paused and lifted his head up Malik's chest, staring skeptically at him.

/Why/ he asked out loud, eyes narrowing suspiciously.

Malik gave him an impish grinned.

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"Hello, Kaiba Corporation, may I help you?"

"Yes, I would like to speak to Kaiba Seto, yes, the president. No, I do not have an appointment. No, I do not wish to make an appointment and don't you _dare_ put me on hold again! I've been calling this god-dammed company for a WEEK and I will continue to call until I can speak to Kaiba! Just tell him I called, me, Jounouchi Katsuya! He knows me! No, I am NOT making this up!" Jounouchi explained very fast, voice stretched a bit thin with stress.

"I'm sorry, you're not allowed to speak to the CEO without an appointment-"

"I DON'T CARE! JUST LET ME SPEAK TO HIM!" Jounouchi screeched.

"I'm sorry but there's nothing I can do for you. I could transfer your call-"

"NO! DON'T YOU PUT ME ON HOLD! I DEMAND TO SPEAK TO KAIBA!"

"I'm sorry, sir," the woman protested weakly. "But I can't…" There was a long pause, Jounouchi strained to hear what was going on the other end.

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"Mokuba-sama," a secretary called through the intercom. Mokuba pressed the call button to answer.

"Yes, what is it?" Mokuba asked businesslike.

"I'm sorry, I normally I wouldn't disturb you but we have a situation. There's man on the phone asking to speak to Kaiba-sama…" she asked politely.

"Does he have an appointment with nii-sama?" Mokuba questioned.

"No… but he claims to have spent a great deal of time with the CEO." Mokuba scoffed.

"That's nothing new. We get calls like that all the time. Tell him to go away," Mokuba ordered dismissive.

"But, Mokuba-sama, he's been calling back every day for the past week. I don't know how to get rid of him," the woman explained weakly. Mokuba frowned glaring at the phone.

"Oh, has he?" Malik questioned. "Put him through to me."

"But Mokuba-sama…" the woman protested.

"Just do it. I'll make sure he never calls back," Mokuba said, brushing his long black hair away from his ear and picking up the receiver.

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"Yes, sir, I'm patching you to Kaiba-sama," the phone operator said.

"You are!" Jounouchi exclaimed, suddenly very surprised. Something inside his chest pounded, Jounouchi ignored it. "Oh god, thanks!" There was an electric click as the lines switched. He was going to talk to Kaiba; he was _finally_ going to talk to Kaiba again.

"Hello, Jounouchi Katsuya, was it?" a sharp voice that definitely _wasn't_ Kaiba spoke into the phone. Jounouchi was felt insulted, the person on the other line sounded like a kid.

"Who the hell is this?" Jounouchi demanded.

"This is Kaiba," the guy on the other line answered.

"You don't sound like Kaiba," Jounouchi accused harshly.

"I assure you, I am Kaiba," the child insisted.

"No, you're not," Jounouchi argued.

"I am too."

"Are not."

"Are too."

"Not."

"Too!"

"This is stupid, I feel like I'm arguing with a seven year old," Jounouchi spat. Then suddenly he paused, for all he knew he could be talking to a seven-year-old. "How old are you?" Jounouchi questioned rudely.

"That- that's none of your business. If you really did know me, as you claim, you wouldn't have to ask that question," the guy answered, coolly. Jounouchi scowled, this kid was really starting to tick him off. Now that Jounouchi thought of it, the guy did talk a little like Kaiba.

"Look, I know how old Kaiba is and you're not him!" Jounouchi said firmly. Then it hit him, Jounouchi had to slap himself on the forehead for not realizing it sooner. "_Oh_, I get it. You're Kaiba _Mokuba_, aren't you?" There was a long pause. Jounouchi grinned. "Ha! I knew it!"

"How'd you guess?" the boy asked.

"Kaiba told me all about you," Jounouchi answered. "You two were adopted into the Kaiba name, right?"

"You could have gotten that information anywhere," Mokuba snapped defensively. "That doesn't prove that you know nii-sama."

"Look, my name's Jounouchi Katsuya. Surely Kaiba's mentioned me," Jounouchi said confidently.

"No, no one by that name," Mokuba said flatly.

"Oh… well, if you just tell him I called, I'm sure he'll tell you. You see he knows me, okay?" Jounouchi argued back.

"Nii-sama is a very busy man who has more important things to do than take crank calls," Mokuba barked, extremely Kaiba-like.

"This isn't a crank call, I need to speak to Kaiba Seto! Please! It's really important!" Jounouchi cried.

"And just where do you know nii-sama from, Jounouchi Katsuya?" Mokuba asked stiffly.

"I was his roommate at Domino Mental Hospital," Jounouchi said before he could stop himself. He knew before Mokuba could even find his voice he had said _exactly_ the wrong thing.

"You stay AWAY from my brother!" Mokuba cried angrily.

"Its not what you think, okay?" Jounouchi protested defensively.

"He doesn't need any more reminding of that horrible place!" Mokuba snapped fiercely. "If you _ever_ call back again I'll trance your number and arrest you for harassment!"

"You know what? Fine! I give up!" Jounouchi shouted back at the kid into the phone. He had snapped. It wasn't worth it anymore. "Tell your brother that I give up! He wins! He's a great fucking winner! And you can also tell him that I said he's a dammed fucking _prick_!" And without a second thought Jounouchi slammed the phone back on the receiver, insides burning.

The room was silent. Too silent. Jounouchi hated silence. He threw himself down upon the bed.

"I can't believe I humiliated myself for that guy…" Jounouchi muttered darkly. His insides were squirming with nerves and rage. It had taken Jounouchi all his strength just to work up the courage to call the god forsaken bastard and he didn't even get to speak to him.

'Kaiba's the fucking head of that dammed company!' Jounouchi thought aggravated. 'He should at least know that I tried to reach him…'

'Maybe he does,' a small voice interrupted his thoughts. 'Maybe he knows you're trying to contact him and is ordering his secretaries and even his own brother to tell you he's busy. Maybe he only kissed you, knowing he'd get away with it…'

"Just like something that bastard would do…" Jounouchi grumbled to the ceiling. "Looks like he's going to get away with it too."

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Ryou's father's office had given him five different numbers to call. Ryou had already dialed four of them. All had been to foreign countries; his last call had been to South America where he had been on hold for almost a half an hour while the people on the other end had searched for someone who could speak Japanese. The last number was to his father's old archeological site in Egypt. The irony was painful.

After much debating with international phone operators, the phone on the other end finally started to ring.

"This is Bakura," a deep man's voice spoke on the other line. Ryou's throat froze; the phone in his hand grew surprisingly heavy. "Hello?" the man asked again after Ryou forgot to answer.

"T-Tou-san?" Ryou croaked, trembling with anticipation. The man on the other end of the line hesitated.

"Who is this?" the voice questioned, more sharply.

"It's me, Tou-san," Ryou repeated, it felt so good to say "father". He couldn't remember the last time he had actually said it out loud. "Your son, Ryou, remember?" There was another long pause.

"Is this a joke? My son is in an insane asylum," the man on the other end accused harshly.

"It's not a joke," Ryou insisted hastily, trying to keep his voice strong. "I… just got out of the hospital," he explained awkwardly, tugging nervously at one of his stray white locks.

"You weren't supposed to get out until you were 18," the man said suspiciously. Ryou's stomach sank. Had his father sounded disappointed?

"I was released early," Ryou lied weakly. "I, ah, dropped by our old house to see if you were there. They said you moved out six years ago." Ryou hesitated, giving his father a chance to respond but it didn't come. "So… ah, you're in Egypt again? That's really cool. You always used to talk about finding new tombs… Um, can I come over there and see you?" Ryou asked, voice staying painfully cheerful. There was yet another long, long pause.

"Well… uh, I wasn't expecting this," his father admitted uneasily. "Ah, look… I don't think that you coming over and living with me is such a good idea…" he said. Ryou felt strangely empty.

"Why not? I… haven't seen you in over eight years," Ryou admitted painfully, voice growing soft with nerves.

"Well, my job requires me to move around a lot," his father pointed out. "There would be so much travel and work. Archeology is not as exciting as it seems, believe me, you would be so bored." Ryou couldn't believe his ears; his own father didn't want him to live with him?

"Then… where would I live?" Ryou asked weakly. He swallowed forcefully, trying his best to hold back his tears. "I-I'm not a legal adult yet." His father wouldn't put him in foster care again, would he?

"Oh right… well… you must be what? 14 by now…"

"I'm 16," Ryou corrected faintly.

"Really?" His father sounded surprised. "Wow, time sure does fly, doesn't it? Well, anyways, how about I buy you an apartment?" his father suggested optimistically as if this was an opportunity any other kid would jump at. "I'll put the apartment under my name and I'll pay the rent. If anyone comes by to talk to me you can just say I'm on a business trip! How about it?" Panic was building up in Ryou's heart as he listened to this idea. This was insane! An apartment? Was his father crazy?

"Y-You can't be serious, Tou-san," Ryou said, voice trembling. "An apartment? How am going to take care of it? How am I going to take care of myself? How will I sleep? How will I go to school?"

"Oh come, it will be fun," his father fake laughed, good natured-ly again. "You'll have your own space! That's what every teenager wants nowadays, right? I'll give you full access to my money accounts to buy food and stuff. Don't go over board though, I'm not made of money," he joked, laughing nervously. "Just kidding, I'm sure you're, ah, responsible and mature enough to handle it," his father reassured him dismissively.

"But I don't want to live all by myself, Tou-san," Ryou said, bending his head toward the floor in shame. "I… I want to live with you," he admitted, his voice almost begging. Couldn't his father feel the sadness in his voice? Couldn't his father hear the pain he was trying desperately to conceal?

"Oh don't worry, you'll do fine," his father repeated, voice rushed and detached almost as if he hadn't heard Ryou at all. "Oh look, someone over there needs me. So sorry, I'll have to call you back."

"Wait! Tou-san-" Ryou began but a click on the other end of the line cut him off.

(-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-)

Mokuba stepped out of the elevator and jogged off towards his brother's office. He slid open the door and there was Kaiba Seto, sitting at his desk, eyes nailed on the bright computer screen in front of him, typing away at his keyboard.

"Hi, nii-sama," Mokuba greeted cheerfully ducking into the room. Kaiba grunted in answer, eyes fixed upon his computer. Mokuba walked into the office and put his school stuff on his desk in the corner. He pressed the button on the intercom to contact the secretary downstairs.

"Yes, Mokuba-sama?" the woman answered.

"Did the stalker call back today?" Mokuba asked.

"Surprising, no," the woman answered. "In fact we haven't gotten any calls from him since you talked to him."

"Oh, well, alert me if he does call back."

"Yes, Mokuba-sama," the woman answered and Mokuba moved his hand away from the intercom.

"Another stalker?" Kaiba asked mildly from the desk, blue eyes fixed on his computer screen.

"Yeah," Mokuba said. "He was really weird too, saying he knew you personally. Said you told him about me and us being adopted."

Kaiba scoffed softly. "He could have gotten that from anywhere," the CEO muttered coldly.

"That's what I said. He called nonstop for an entire week, wanting to speak to you," Mokuba recalled. "Harassing the receptionists. I talked to him." Kaiba raised an eyebrow coolly, still not looking up from his computer.

"He must have been really desperate," Kaiba scoffed.

"He even claimed to be your roommate at that mental hospital. What a jerk," Mokuba commented. Kaiba paused in his typing, thin fingers going slightly rigid.

"What happened to him?" Kaiba asked casually, his voice suddenly blank.

"I told him I'd arrest him if he called again and he uh, said some pretty vulgar words and hung up on me. And I guess hasn't called back since," Mokuba said with a careless shrug. Kaiba finally lifted his blue eyes up from the computer screen.

"Did he tell you his name?" Kaiba asked, face expressionless and completely unreadable. Mokuba looked slightly startled.

"Ah, Jounouchi Katsuya," Mokuba said, confused. "Why?"

And to Mokuba's compete and utter bewilderment, Kaiba laughed.

* * *

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* * *

A lot of people thought Bakura was dead. They were like, "NOO! How could you kill him!" Come on, it's me! I wouldn't kill Bakura, he's too amazingly cool, duh.

Malik is cool also. Teehee. "You ruined my potato!" (fit of mad giggles) Oh potatoes...

I know what your thinking, "EEE! KAIBA LAUGHING! THE APOCOLYPSE IN UPON US!" Please, its not like Kaiba _doesn't_ laugh, he does it all the time in the show, just, you know, evilly. This is kind of an evil laugh. It's a I-got-my-dog-bitch-right-where-I-want-him sadistic laugh. (sigh) Poor poor Jounouchi...

Guess what? Two chapters left! (GASP!) Dun, dun, _dun_…

**Next Chappie!** Yugi and Yami have got to have a, um, (cough) _talk_ about some things. So do Kaiba and Jounouchi… and Ryou and Bakura… A lot of communication issues.

**REVIEW** or Yami no Malik will dirty your celery and carrot sticks! Really he will, I'm not making this up.

**REVIEW!**


	26. Last Will

Man, yesterday I was taking a nap and I was like. "Gee, my readers are like _so_ cool. Like _really_ cool, like _super_ cool… and nice. Its so neat when I update and I get lots of reviews… hm… did I update?" Oops. Bad Yami Hitokiri, (shakes finger at self). I would have updated right then and there but my One-chan was like, "Look! I download anime! Its very funny!" So I got a little distracted thanks to Ms./Mr. Haruhi and the rest of those crazies at Host Club. (Heehee, very funny. I couldn't stop watching… that's the whole problem)

Why bother apologizing anymore? Seriously, I'm always late. (crawls into fettle position of shame)

Speaking of which… I'm not really going to be in the weekend I'm supposed to update the last chapter… sorry guys… Me and my peeps are going to Otakon! (WOOT!) (cough) Anime convention for those who don't know. (shame upon your families!) Yeah, if you see someone with a "I am Youzen" sign or possibly a large yellow fork like object, say hi.

_Anyway_, so I'll update on that Monday rather than make you awesome people wait another week, coolish? But that'll be the last chapter! (GASP) (fountains of tears)

What's that I see? Could it be? YugixYami fluff? Maybe... you guys better read to make sure.

I don't think they have Mac and Cheese in Japan, I'm not an idiot.

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**Chyaputa 26: Last Will**

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"Excuse me, mam'," Yugi said trying to get the attention of the middle-aged woman with red hair behind the counter. "I'd like to buy a pack of playing cards," Yugi requested, trying to suppress a grin. The woman turned around, a sweet salesman's smile planted on her face but the moment her eyes landed on Yugi's spiky tri-colored hair, the woman jumped, a hand flew up to her chest as if to stop the on coming heart attack.

"Y-Yugi!" the woman exclaimed, struck dumb with shock.

"Hi, Kaa-chan," Yugi greeted smiling broadly. A moment later the woman suddenly burst into tears.

"Oh my… DAD! Come quick! He's come home, dad! Yugi's back!" the woman screamed at the top of her lungs to the back of the shop. "Yugi's back!"

"What?" a familiar old man's voice cried from the back room. Yugi heard the sound of boxes being knocked over and fall crashing to the floor before the door to the back room slammed open. An old man wearing overalls stumbled out and spotted Yugi across the room, purple eyes, much like his grandson's, going very wide. "Yugi!" he cried, ran forward, knocking over a defenseless customer in his wake, and grabbed his grandson up into a fierce backbreaking hug.

"Ji-chan please!" Yugi cried, flapping his arms frantically trying to get away from his grandfather. "You're hurting me!" The old man was actually hugging him so hard that the Sennen puzzle was digging into Yugi's stomach painfully. His grandfather seemed have noticed the item too because he pulled away and looked down at his grandson's chest.

"What's this?" he asked picking up the pure golden object curiously. "Looks valuable." Yugi panicked and snatched it away from his hands. He knew his grandfather would sell anything he could get his hands on.

"Ah… nothing! Just a, ah, gift from a friend! It's very important to me!" he explained frantically. His mother's eyes narrowed skeptically.

"You didn't steal it, did you?" she accused darkly, walking out from behind the counter and setting her hands firmly and authoritatively on her hips.

"Kaa-chan!" Yugi groaned. "I wouldn't do a thing like that!"

"Alright then," she sighed and then her eyes spotted his clothing. "Good lord, you're filthy! You're not hurt are you?" his mother fussed, examining him from head to foot, brushing off dirt and sand from his clothing.

"I'm fine, really," Yugi insisted, waving her hand away.

"Oh good, in that case…" His mother's mood completely changed in an instant. "How could you worry us like that!" she exclaimed furiously, arms flying up into the air. "Breaking out from the mental hospital and being on the run from the police! I was worried sick!" Yugi smiled nervously, scratching the back of his head.

"Sorry, Kaa-chan, I didn't mean to bring you so much trouble," Yugi apologized, smiling awkwardly.

"Where did you go anyway after you escaped from the hospital?" Yugi's grandfather questioned, suddenly interested. "You just disappeared for a whole month!"

"Oh, it's a _long_ story…" Yugi said, a hand toying with the chain his Sennen puzzle was hanging from. "I'll explain later."

"Speaking of the hospital," his mother interrupted, eyes narrowing in seriousness. "How did your treatment go? Are you…" she hesitated, eyes searching her son's face carefully. "I mean, after all you've been through… are you alright now?" She and his grandfather looked very concerned.

"Oh…" Yugi began, looking down at his puzzle. "You don't have worry about my health anymore," Yugi said truthfully. He looked up suddenly determination glowing in his purple eyes. "I found my answer. I'm not going back to the way I was before, I'm stronger now." Both his grandfather and his mother stared at him puzzled.

"I see," his grandfather said first and a board sincere grin spread across his old wrinkled face. "That's my grandson."

"I want to believe you," his mother said warmly, smiling and putting a hand on his shoulder. "You do seem much happier now." Yugi smiled down at the Sennen puzzle.

'That's true, I am,' he thought. His other self gave a little reassuring tug on other end of their mind link. Yugi glowed.

Yugi and his family talked for sometime, mostly about things Yugi had missed around the game shop while he was gone. The other two inquired a number of times about his adventures, Yugi tried very hard to skip over the subject or to give them extremely vague answers.

"Egypt! Really?" his grandfather exclaimed, after much prodding. "I went to Egypt in my younger days. Did I ever tell you how I-"

"Yes, about a hundred times," Yugi's mother groaned. Yugi grinned; he had missed his grandfather's bad memory. "So what did you do in Egypt?" his mother asked.

"Ah… mostly helped a friend…" Yugi mumbled, not looking at her. "Actually to tell you the truth I'm dead tired so I'm going to go take a nap," Yugi said standing up from the table and yawning, leaning towards the staircase.

"You go ahead, you've had a long trip," his mom agreed.

"Can you remember where your room is? It's in the same place as it's was the last time!" his grandfather called after Yugi as he walked up the stairs.

Yugi turned at the top of the stairs then went up another set to the room at the top of the house. Yugi sighed as he flipped the light switch; the light revealing the exact same room he left behind two months ago. Toys, games and clothes scattered everywhere on the floor, exactly where he had left them.

"They haven't changed a thing," Yugi thought happily, walking over and flopping down upon his old familiar bed, sighing with relief as he breathed in its old familiar musty smell. He rolled over onto his back and was surprised to see the transparent ghostly form of his other self sitting at his desk, staring up at the sky light on Yugi's ceiling.

/Nothing has changed… just like me…/ Yami no Yugi said hollowly. Yugi's face fell. It hurt him to see his other self so depressed.

"Mou hitori no boku, you're not still thinking about what Bakura-kun said, are you?" Yugi asked concerned, sitting up on his bed.

Yami no Yugi's expression hardened, eyes clouded and troubled. /Aibou… I know I never told you but deep down, even though I pretended as though it didn't effect me, a part of me really did want to know who I was, where I came from…/ Yami no Yugi admitted, not looking at Yugi. /And now I know… all the horrible things I did in the past…/

"But you don't know that for sure," Yugi protested, trying to keep his tone positive. "Even Bakura admitted he couldn't remember that well." Yami no Yugi's mood did not change.

/But look at Bakura, he's been twisted and mutilated by the darkness. I must have done something horrible to have created someone like him as my enemy…/ the dark soul said logically, closing his eyes as though shutting out the world around him. Yugi didn't know what to say, he looked down at the floor. /What kind of person was I? How do I know what kind of king I was back then? Bakura is right; I ruined all these people's lives. Bakura's, Shadi's, Malik's, even yours, they're all my fault. And I can't remember any of it…/

"But that's just it." Yugi stood up suddenly from his bed, purple eyes surprisingly fierce. Yami no Yugi's eyes shot open and looked at his lighter half in shock. "You don't remember a thing, so don't you get it?" Yugi insisted.

/I don't understand…/ Yami no Yugi spoke.

"How can you believe you were a bad king when you don't even remember what happened? You don't know you're reasoning back then so you can't say you were wrong! You must have had a reason! You must have thought it was in the best interest of your people!"

/But how/ Yami no Yugi asked, red eyes falling to the floor in despair. /How can you be so sure, aibou/

"Because," Yugi said, a comforting smile lighting up his face. "I trust you." Yami no Yugi lift his gaze from the floor, a small light of hope shinning in his ancient eyes.

/Aibou…/ Yami no Yugi spoke, eyes wide.

"There must be a way to find your lost memory or some way of recalling it the way Bakura did," Yugi suggested helpfully.

/But it all seems so futile/ Yami no Yugi said.

"I don't believe that," Yugi said firmly. "If we keep searching I bet eventually we'll find a way."

/How can you still have hope for me when I've already lost mine/ Yami no Yugi asked with a sad, grateful smile. /…You are so much stronger than I am, aibou./

"Don't say that," Yugi insisted brushing the comment aside with a small grin. "I could never be as brave as you."

/That's not true/ Yami no Yugi said, suddenly serious. He stood up from his chair and placed a hand on Yugi's shoulder, red eyes burning intensely into Yugi's purple ones. /You have a strength I could never hope to possess./ Yugi frowned slightly in confusion. /A strength behind your tenderness/ the dark soul insisted. /A kindness I have never known. I believe one day you'll surpass me./

"Don't say that," Yugi said pleadingly, almost desperately. "Don't talk like that! I don't want to surpass you! I'll find your memory and you'll find your own kindness and your own strength and then…" Yugi suddenly fell silent. A horrible thought had just crossed his mind. What would happen if his darkness found his memories again? Would his darker half no longer need him? Yugi felt his knees grow weak. Yami no Yugi sensed the sudden thoughts going passed his lighter half's mind.

/Aibou…/ his other self began but Yugi wasn't done.

"It doesn't matter what kind of person you were!" Yugi cried, hands clutched into fists, arms curling up towards his chest. "Because just the fact that you exist right now… is _so_ important to me…" Yami no Yugi was silent, his head was buzzing. "As long as you need me, I'll always be your partner!" Yugi insisted so forcefully his darker half was almost taken aback.

There was a moment of silence, Yugi and Yami no Yugi's eyes entangled in each other's gazes, neither could look away. The same old familiar feeling of wonder filled up Yugi's soul.

/Aibou… It wasn't… it wasn't a mistake, was it/ Yami no Yugi asked hesitantly. Yugi blinked in confusion, breaking the tension.

"What was?" Yugi asked curiously. Yami no Yugi looked away awkwardly.

/That time… you and me in that shadow world…/ Yami no Yugi answered hesitantly. He couldn't say the word 'kiss'. He couldn't even look Yugi in the eye. /It wasn't… awkward, was it/ Yugi blushed red, his breathing tightened.

"N-no, of course not," Yugi said softly, looking away himself, stomach squirming. "Why? Do you… regret it?"

/No/ Yami no Yugi cried, his other hand coming up to Yugi's other shoulder. Yugi was enclosed by his darker half's transparent hands and soft hold on his shoulders. /Never…/ Yugi's blushed brighter, he swore his face was glowing by now. The room was suddenly very warm.

"I… liked it too…" Yugi whispered very softly. Yugi's heart was pounding in his ears. "I've always liked being with you…" Yugi did not look up so he could not see his darkness' expression but felt the other's eyes move onto him again. Yami no Yugi's hands slowly slid down Yugi's arms and grasped both Yugi's small hands in his own.

/Aibou…/ his darker half began. Yugi felt his eyes being drawn irresistibly upwards. Yami no Yugi's eyes were so clear, it was almost scary. /Can I… may I… again/ he asked. Yugi's insides made a familiar throb, echoing down into the very pit of his stomach.

"Sure, if you want…" Yugi answered. Yami no Yugi drew an inch closer. "You don't have to ask every time, you know," Yugi said, the room suddenly seemed to grow quite small. Yami no Yugi shrugged mildly.

/I know/ his darker half answered softly. He was getting very close, his red eyes drifting half closed. He had not let go of Yugi's hands; Yugi never wanted him to. He pulled Yugi forward, their golden bangs hit each other's, they could feel each other's breath from their slightly open mouths.

_Aibou… _Yami no Yugi's eyes shut, their lips melted together. Warm fuzziness filled Yugi's brain and flooded into his chest, his own eyes closed themselves. Slowly Yami no Yugi let go of Yugi's hands and wrapped his arms around Yugi's waist. Yugi sighed through his nose as he felt their bodies meet. His own hands grasped his darker half's elbows, pulling himself further in.

But it wasn't only the kiss that felt good, tingling waves emotion rushed through their mind link, exchanging thoughts, feelings… memories. Yugi saw the time he first beat his grandfather at chess, the time he tried out a new game, the time he first heard his darker personality's voice…

_If you don't have your own…_ Yugi thought, tugging Yami no Yugi's shirt, pulling him closer. _I'll give you my memories. I'll give you anything, everything… just don't be sad…_ Yami no Yugi's grip tightened on Yugi's waist, more contact, more closeness.

_I only need you… _the dark soul reassured.

(-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-)

Jounouchi returned from school that day to the dingy dank apartment he and his drunken father shared. He passed his old man asleep on the kitchen table surrounded by empty and broken beer bottles and headed straight for his tiny room at the top of the stairs. He dropped his stuff next to his bed and then grabbed his coat, thinking of heading out into town and getting out of his apartment, although he didn't have any friends to hang out with and nowhere to go. Honda and Otogi wouldn't be getting out of the hospital for another week.

As ironic as it may be, Jounouchi was half way out the door when the phone started to ring. Jounouchi scowled and stomped moodily back into the apartment, knowing his father wasn't going to get it, and picked it up.

"Yeah, what do you want?" Jounouchi growled, bad tempered into the receiver.

"After an entire week of trying to contact me and that's all you have to say?" an extremely familiar cool voice spoke. "I'm disappointed." Jounouchi's breath caught in his throat. It couldn't be…

"K-Kaiba?" Jounouchi gaped, voice cracking in surprise, brain going numb.

"I thought you'd at least have the decency to act a little more enthusiastic," Kaiba drawled, a hint of smugness in his deep voice. All of Jounouchi's old hatred and anger flowed up into his veins in a burning rush.

"I have half a mind to hang up on you right now, you rich bastard!" Jounouchi cried nastily. "What the hell is up with your freak company!"

"You lost me two of my phone secretaries with your continuous badgering, idiot. Don't you have any manners?" Kaiba asked coldly. Jounouchi's grip on the phone tightened, strangling the receiver as if it were Kaiba's own scrawny neck.

"You're one to talk about manners, Kaiba! Hiding behind your fancy phone operators and receptionists! Even your own brother! That was low, bastard, even for you," Jounouchi snarled.

"I didn't even know you had called until yesterday," Kaiba admitted in his same smooth indifferent tone. "Calls from low class people don't usually make it that far up the social ladder, especially not ones from stalkers." Jounouchi's insides were on fire. He so glad that Kaiba couldn't see his face turn flaming red.

"D-don't flatter yourself, asshole!" Jounouchi growled, trying his best to sound threatening.

"Speaking of which, watch your mouth around Mokuba. I don't want him picking up bad habits," Kaiba ordered coolly. Jounouchi frowned deeply, glaring hatefully at the phone.

"Well, excuse me for being a little pissed off dealing with your god dammed company!" Jounouchi snarled darkly. He was really getting angry now; Kaiba always seemed to get him worked up like this. Jounouchi couldn't even remember why he had wanted to call Kaiba in the first place. This was certainly _not_ the way he had wanted the conversation to go.

There was silence for a moment, Jounouchi took the time to catch his breath and calm himself down.

"So, why did you call, idiot?" Kaiba questioned coldly, his voice softer and suddenly less threatening. "It must have been important for you to almost get arrested." Jounouchi's voice caught in his throat, he opened his mouth and closed it repeatedly trying to get something to come out.

'Why do you think I called you! You fucking KISSED ME, you _bastard_!' Jounouchi's brain was screaming.

"You…" Jounouchi began and then stopped himself.

No, this wasn't it. This was_ not _the place that he wanted to discuss this… that _event_ with Kaiba. He didn't want it to be over the phone, he wanted to see Kaiba's face when he talked to him, to look him in the eye. He definitely did _not _want to be somewhere where his drunken father might easily over hear.

So Jounouchi changed subjects at the speed of light. "You-Yu Y-Yugi." There was a long deadly pause on the other end of the line.

"Yugi?" Kaiba repeated, voice flat. "You called to talk about… Yugi?" His words were saturated with disbelief.

"Yes!" Jounouchi lied firmly. There was another long pause.

"What is this really about, Jounouchi?" Kaiba asked coldly. The sound of his own name made the blonde's heart stop, he doubted Kaiba had never said it before.

'Shit, shit, shit! Snap out of it! Think of something!' he ordered himself fiercely.

"I-I know where Yugi is," Jounouchi said very quickly.

"And?" Kaiba questioned. He was starting to get irritated, Jounouchi could tell.

"I know you still want that rematch," Jounouchi said taking his new idea and running with it. "And I know where he lives… and that he's back." Sure why not? More lies.

"Really?" Kaiba questioned haughtily. "And where does he live?"

"Ah… not so fast, Kaiba," Jounouchi taunted smugly. A brilliant idea popped into his head. "I won't let you get your revenge that easily. You're going to have to do me a favor."

"And what might that be?" Kaiba questioned stiffly. Had he hesitated slightly before he said that?

"You have to bring me to visit Yugi as well," Jounouchi said. "See, I don't really have any way of getting there…"

"Is that all?" Kaiba interrupted sharply.

"Yep that's it," Jounouchi answered casually.

"That's _all_ you wanted to talk about?" Kaiba questioned sharply. Jounouchi's stomach started churning sickly again.

"Of course, what _else_ would we _possibly_ have to talk about?" Jounouchi said, imitating Kaiba's smooth speech perfectly. If Kaiba could play dull as a brick, so could he. Jounouchi smirked as on the other side of the phone as there was another long pause in the conversation.

"I'll get you when I have a break in my schedule," Kaiba stated stiffly. Jounouchi was surprised to hear him sound so distant all of the sudden. "I suppose anytime after school is good, a slacker like you doesn't have any other commitments, makeinu," he added icily. Jounouchi felt strangely hurt. That had been uncalled for.

"What the hell is your problem, Kaiba?" Jounouchi questioned but Jounouchi's only answer was a loud click as Kaiba hung up without another word. Jounouchi stared at the phone in his hands for a second and then hung up as well. "What the hell is up with him?"

Yet now that Jounouchi thought about it, his excuse had given him almost the perfect opportunity. If Kaiba was driving him over to Yugi's then Jounouchi and Kaiba would have no choice but to spend a long time in the car together especially since Jounouchi only had the vaguest idea of where Yugi actually lived.

'There won't be any distractions and more importantly anywhere for that bastard to run away,' Jounouchi thought, grinning mischievously. 'I'll make him talk if it's the last thing I do.' Although talk about what, Jounouchi still wasn't quite sure.

(-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-)

Ryou stumbled into his dim, dank apartment; arms loaded down with so many bags and boxes they were blocking his view. He had gotten his very first groceries that day but after living in a mental hospital for most of his life and having all of his meals prepared for him Ryou had absolutely no idea what he was doing. He had bought mostly pre-cooked food and stuff that came in boxes with clearly labeled instructions.

'Cooking can't be that hard…' Ryou thought to himself, kicking the door closed behind him. The apartment keys dropped from his hand onto the floor, Ryou hoped he would remember where they were later. Balancing potentially collapsing bags and boxes in his arms, Ryou carefully made his way over to his small cramped kitchen.

Then his foot caught on the edge of a sofa and he tripped, falling flat on his stomach, all the food and supplies he had been holding scattered all over the floor.

"Ow…" Ryou moaned, rubbing his bruised knee. "Stupid, clumsy-"

And then his wide brown eyes spotted him.

Leaning coolly against the counter with his pale arms crossed over his chest, wild white hair framing his pale face, dark brown almost black eyes fixed upon his lighter personality who was crouched not ten feet away from him on the floor. But the strangest part was that the dark soul was _grinning_. It wasn't an evil superior grin either or one that held malicious intent. Ryou had never seen his darker half smile like that, it really creeped him out.

'Why is he out of the Ring?' Ryou asked himself. Why now when Ryou's humility was at its highest and his self-esteem and confidence growing thin? Yami no Bakura did not speak, he only stood there grinning and staring at Ryou on the floor.

An unexpected flare of anger rose up in Ryou's chest. He turned his head with abrupt stubbornness away from his darker personality. He felt sickened and mortified on the floor with food around him. 'Fine, if you won't speak to me then I don't have to speak to you either.'

With as much dignity as he could muster, Ryou began to gather up the fallen food products, pilling them back into their various paper bags and boxes. Then he awkwardly stood up, carrying all his food, and walked barely a foot away past his darker personality, without a second glance. Yami no Bakura's head followed him as Ryou loaded the food onto the counter.

'Ok, first make dinner,' he told himself, pointedly ignoring his darker half's stare. His stomach growled as if on clue, he had been eating nothing but fast food for weeks while his father had been setting up his living space. He searched through his bags. 'Macaroni and cheese,' he read to himself, looking down the instructions. 'Oh, I need milk.' Ryou glanced down at his food bags. 'I didn't get milk… that's ok, I'll make something else…' He searched his bags again, Ryou could practically see his darker personality grinning over his shoulder, watching Ryou struggle. 'Ramen… "just add water", I can do this,' Ryou thought, taking a hold onto the very last scrap of his courage. He swore he saw his darkness' eyes flash with amusement out of the corner of his eye. He took out the Ramen package and looked at the instructions.

'I need to boil water in a pot,' Ryou pondered, looking around at his supplies. 'I bought a pot! …I think. Oh, here it is! Now I fill it with water…' Ryou found his newly bought pot and filled it almost all the way full of water from the sink. 'Wait it says "three cups of water"… A measuring cup! Right! I need and measuring cup…' Ryou dumped the water back in the sink. 'I didn't buy a measuring cup,' Ryou realized sadly. 'But it's just a cup right…?' Ryou rummaged around in his bags. He found a normal drinking glass and shrugged. 'This should do…' Ryou filled up the glass three times and dumped the water into the pot. 'Now turn on the stove and boil the water.' Ryou turned the dial all the way around and placed the pot on the burner.

Five minutes later the water was bubbling merrily. Ryou could feel himself almost glowing with pride.

'Cooking's not so hard,' he thought to himself.

Ryou picked up the Ramen package, ripped it open and dropped the dry stiffened uncooked noodles into the boiling water. There was a small little packet of chicken flavoring also; unfortunately Ryou had forgotten to take it out when he put the noodles in. Slightly panicked Ryou fished the little sliver packet out of the boiling water with a spoon. He heard his other half snort behind him. Ryou's nerves shook.

'Ignore him, ignore him…' he repeated to himself. 'Just put the flavoring in the water.' Ryou ripped open the tiny silver package and poured the orange powder into the pot with the noodles. He turned back to the directions. 'Oops, I was supposed to put the flavoring in after the noodles were done… oh well what harm can it do?'

Leaving the noodles alone to cook, Ryou began to put his food and kitchen supplies away, making sure to keep his back between him and his dark personality at all times. As Ryou moved around the room, he was sure he could feel his darker personality's dark eyes following him.

It was the smell that suddenly alerted Ryou that something was wrong. The white haired teenage boy rushed over to the stove and saw smoke rising from stove. The water had all boiled out of the pot and the noodles, now extremely over cooked, had burned to the bottom of Ryou's brand new pot like pale soggy worms. The foul acidic smell floated through out the house, stinging Ryou's nostrils.

"Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit…" Ryou chanted panicked and without knowing what to do, threw the pot into the sink and doused it with cool water. The heated metal hissed and steamed as the cold water hit it.

So much for dinner.

There was another distinct snort from behind Ryou. The white haired teenager's shoulders grew tense. Was his dark personality actually laughing at him? Did he find what Ryou was doing amusing? Ryou was trembling, jaw so tight he swore he could feel his muscles straining. Blind pressure building up in his brain, Ryou wanted to scream, cry and run, all at the same time.

"Why…" his voice croaked hopelessly. He spun around so violently his neck got whiplash, white hair streaking behind his head. "Why are you… here?" Ryou demanded. He was looking his darker half in the eyes now, brown eyes to black ones. Yami no Bakura did not answer, he only continued to grin. Ryou's trembling increased, he was terrified but his anger had swallowed his fear.

"W-why are you out _now_? W-where have you been?" Ryou's voice squeaked. He tightened his hands into fists. "Stop grinning at me!" Ryou ordered. His calmness snapped abruptly but Yami no Bakura was still grinning, still had that same smug smirk plastered on his pale face, eyes locked fearlessly on Ryou's own.

"Do you have any idea how long it's been?" Ryou questioned harshly. He didn't sound like himself; everything was spilling out him like he's emotional wall had just sprung a leak. "Two months! You haven't come out for _two months_!" Ryou couldn't take it anymore. Why the hell was he _still_ smiling? What was so goddamn funny? "Do you have any idea what's been happening for two months? I've been stuck in hotel rooms eating cold week old pizza, sitting by a phone waiting for my father to call me back because he doesn't want to live with me! Then he wants me to get my own place and acts as if I should be _thrilled_ and I don't know what the HELL I'm DOING!" Ryou couldn't control himself anymore.

The smirk on Yami no Bakura's face twitched.

"I can't take care of myself! I can't do anything! I-I… I just want to be with my father, is that so _wrong_?" Ryou screamed. His eyes were burning, his throat burning. When had it become so stiflingly hot in his apartment? "A-and _you_ just come out here and grin like it's all some big joke! It's funny! How screwed up I am right now! How I can't even cook goddamn meal! Am I FUNNY to you!" Ryou cried, tears leaking down his face. His nose stuffed up so much he couldn't breathe, gasping air through his tight throat. "How DARE you come out here and LAUGH at me! How can you just stand there and STARE and at me and say nothing!" Ryou shouted.

No trace of the smirk was left, Yami no Bakura's face faded slowly from full-fledged grin to blank indifference. Cold was seeping back into his black eyes but Ryou still couldn't stop.

"You've been gone for _two_ _months_! How can you…?" Ryou was panting, vision so blurred. "How could you leave me like this…? All alone…" His voice finally died. Ryou felt strangely empty. He was so tired, so tired…

Silence came next. Ryou was fully aware that Yami no Bakura's thin line of a mouth had transformed once again into its old familiar deeply set scowl.

/How dare _I_/ he spoke, voice as low and sharp as Ryou had remembered. /How dare _you_/ he corrected fiercely. Ryou flinched. He had known something like this would happen. Now his darker half was angry. /How _dare_ you talk to me like that/ he snarled, cold eyes narrowing, his good mood completely vanished. Ryou wished for the creepy smiling Bakura to come back. /You have no idea what _I've_ been going through/ Something in his voice made Ryou look up.

Bakura was trembling but it was with rage, not fear.

/How dare you be so selfish/ he snapped. /How dare you stand there and blame me for never coming out? Why do you think I was _in_ there in the first place/ Bakura questioned. Ryou hesitated.

"I… I…" Ryou muttered shamefully, all his previous anger and rage dissolving into the pit of his stomach. He felt sick.

/_You_ were the one who stopped me from accomplishing my goal! _You_ were the one who dared to stand against me! To stand beside your friends instead of me! You say you feel alone! How do you think _I_ felt that day/ he cried furiously, hands gesturing angrily. Ryou winced, brown eyes closing. /All my planning, my _existence_ was born for this one time and I _finally_ had it within my grasp! After being trapped in darkness for _three thousand_ _years_! And its _you_ who stands in my way! The only one I thought I could _trust_ ruined my one chance/

Ryou's throat tightened painfully. 'Oh god…'

/And you expect me to just come out, forgive and _coddle_ you/ Bakura hissed nastily. /_Two months_? _Only_ two months? I thought my hatred for you would last a _lifetime_/ Bakura admitted. There was a moment of hesitation, Yami no Bakura paused to catch his breath. /But it didn't… it couldn't last even a year…? Why/ Bakura asked. Ryou's soft brown eyes snapped open again. /Why can't I ever stay mad at you? Why would I throw away my goal for you? Why am I satisfied with watching you for rest of your life/ Bakura questioned harshly, taking a brave step forward. Ryou could not stop staring at him; his gaze would not leave Bakura's ghostly face. He scared to speak, afraid of what might come out of his mouth.

"I'm… sorry…" Ryou apologized, voice so quiet it was barely audible. Bakura's scowl deepened.

/Don't say those weak things to me, yadonushi/ Yami no Bakura ordered sharply. /If I want to hate you, I will. If I want to stay in the Ring and never come out, I will. And if I want to come out, I will. And if I want to laugh at you when you trip, I will/ his voice paused, eyes losing their danger. He took another step forward. /If I want to stare at you, I will…/

Ryou's breathing hitched.

Yami no Bakura's white bangs fell around his face, his black eyes glowing out from those cruel spikes of hair. He grabbed Ryou's shoulder roughly with one hand. Ryou could not move, hypnotized but the look in his darker personality's eyes. Everything about him was so fierce and intense. Ryou's brown eyes could not possibly have gotten any wider.

Bakura grinned mischievously as he leaned forward.

/I don't see you resisting, yadonushi/ he hissed.

'Resist? Resist what?' Ryou thought numbly.

Ryou was still so deeply entranced, staring into Yami no Bakura's face, that he was only dimly aware as Yami no Bakura's firm grip on Ryou's shoulder pulled him closer. Yami no Bakura rolled his eyes.

_You are so dense…_ the dark soul spoke in Ryou's mind.

Yami no Bakura grabbed the back of Ryou's head and kissed him on mouth. Ryou made a sound in the back of his throat that sounded like a yelp, arms going rigid. Bakura pulled back, gave his lighter half a harsh look and then kissed him again. Ryou tried to keep himself from making any more noises. He certainly hadn't been expecting this turn of events… not that he was protesting.

'At least it's better than the last time,' Ryou thought. Bakura bit Ryou's bottom lip irritably, bringing his lighter half out of his musings.

_Stop thinking, it's annoying,_ Bakura ordered. He took a firmer hold on Ryou's head and strengthened his kisses. Ryou sighed, muscles finally starting to relax, his body leaning up against Bakura's. It felt good to be able to lean against someone so warm. Ryou was quite sure that if Bakura suddenly let go of him he'd probably fall over flat on his face, yet Bakura did not let go of him, in fact he held Ryou tighter, wrapping an arm around hid light's back.

_You weirdo, I'm not going to carry you._ Ryou responded by pressing his toes into the tile floor and pushing himself only further upward, making it easier for him to reach his darkness' mouth, poking his tongue passed his darkness' lips.

'He's tastes good…' Ryou hummed to himself.

Bakura finally drew away but again found he had no choice but to keep holding Ryou to prevent his lighter half from falling over.

/I think you're having too much fun/ Bakura drawled moodily, half glaring at him. Ryou shrugged, making no effort to move from his current position.

"Maybe you're not having enough," Ryou suggested, staring at him innocently. Yami no Bakura frowned and then looked down at their slanted arrangement again.

/Do you think you could get off of me/ he questioned curtly.

"You want me to?" Ryou asked bluntly.

Bakura actually had to take a moment to answer.

/Just stand on your own, will you/ Bakura snapped, getting slightly frustrated. Ryou shrugged, shifted his weight backwards obligingly and landed on his feet. He managed to remain only slightly disappointed as Bakura removed his arm from around Ryou's back. /Go make your dinner, I'm going to take a nap/ Bakura said and turned to go. Ryou stared at the floor but didn't protest. The darkness must have sensed Ryou's pang of sadness for he turned around again and glared at the silent teenager.

/What/ he questioned suspiciously.

"I might need help," Ryou choked, scratching his hand distractedly. "With the cooking part…"

Bakura stared, eyes half lidded in annoyance once again. /Don't be stupid, I don't know anything about cooking./

Ryou's face fell. "Oh… yeah, of course…" He bent his head away from his darker half's gaze.

Bakura scoffed and then rolled his eyes exasperatingly. /But I suppose… it's not like I can do any worse/ he growled optimistically. Ryou's head lifted slightly, eyes shinning hopefully. /Then again how hard is 'just add water'/ Bakura snorted. /Do you have anything else that's _less_ complicated/ he questioned harshly, walking over to the counter and staring doubtfully into the bags of food. Ryou straightened and joined his darker half, a smile on his pale face.

* * *

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SO MUCH FLUFF! AAAAAAAHHHHHHHH! I'M DROWNING IN FLUFFINESS! (glub, glub (sound of someone one drowning))

Teehee, I kid, I kid. I love this chapter. It's awesome. So much wonderful, wonderful love.

God, I wrote this so freaking long ago. This story seems so _old_ to me now that I'm on my new story. I was freaking waiting for Bakura to drag Ryou off to the bedroom or something.

Poor Ryou, I know how hard it is to make Ramen!

HAHAHAHA! Jounouchi makes me laugh! HAAHAHAHA!

Yes, yes, I admit it, I stole lines and stuff from Yami and Yugi fluff scenes from the anime. (cough, JAPANESE VERSION OF COURSE, cough) Just goes to show how much fucking shounen ai evidence they put in it, mwahahahahahahaha!

**THE _LAST_ CHAPTER!** (more tears) Jounouchi and Kaiba are on a mission to find Yugi's house but they have some unexpected guests hitching a ride with them! OH NO! How will they ever… TALK! And of course there will be returning faces!

Now, what are you all going to do ? Hm… well… You could: A) Dance like crazy B) Eat cake C) Cry me a river D) **REVIEW! **….or E) both A and D

Choose wisely….

… If you know what's good for you…

**REVIEW!**


	27. Final Destiny

I'm so so so so so so so so so so so so SORRY! (tears) I'm sooooooooooooooooooooooooo late! (squeak) Don't kill me please! I still love you all!

You see, I was working _really_ hard on Monday to make this chapter especially perfect and it was really late and I fell asleep at my computer. Really! I did! Then on Tuesday I was so close to finishing and then, this family emergency happened! Holy Bakura-sama, it was the worst of luck I swear! I wasn't even home all of Wednesday and well… yeah that's pretty much it. I feel so bad that I updated so late! And it's the last chapter too! (sadness)

That's right… (gulp)

The _very_ lastest of all last chapters. (cries buckets of tears)

Man, I talk too much in these intros. Seriously, I reread my HINAFTYCC fic (don't ask me why) and aside from finding all these completely obvious errors (shudders), I noticed that really I talk too much. Honestly, I'm like _so_ annoying! I wanted to like go into the past and slap myself upside the head. I don't know why you wonderful people put up with me. (shrug)

(still crying) I still can't believe its _ending_! (blows nose loudly) I started writing this fic like- like- two _years_ ago! (GASP)

Japanese Term: Kame- is pronounced "KA-MAY", not "came". Japanese people don't believe in silent letters. It means turtle. Basically Yugi's game shop means the "Turtle Game Shop"

Holy hell gods, it's _ending_! (cries more)

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**Chyaputa 27: Final Destiny**

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It was bright and sunny afternoon, the sun bleeding down upon the heads of students as they exited the school. All thoughts of fun and outdoor recreation blown from their minds by the piles of homework they had just received to complete over the weekend. Jounouchi was one of those students trudging back home, staring gloomily face downward at the sidewalk. Then it slowly dawned on him the lack of feeling of depression in his fellow students filing out of the school doors around him. As he looked up he noticed that most of them were clumped in little groups around the schoolyard, chattering excitingly. 

The tall blonde straightened up, brown eyes landing on a group of girls nearby.

"…but what is it doing _here_?" one of them squealed, clutching her face in excitement.

"Maybe there's someone at the school whose related to a celebrity and we've never known!" another suggested, eyes darting over to something beyond the school gates.

Jounouchi frowned in suspicion. What the hell could get everyone so worked up?

"Jounouchi!" a voice cried. A very enthusiastic Honda bounded out of the crowd, followed much more slowly and carefully by the tactful, cool-looking Otogi, twirling his long black hair on a finger as usual. They had both gotten out of the hospital only two weeks ago, which was good, now at least Jounouchi had people to hang out with. "Did you see it?" Honda questioned excitedly.

"See what?" Jounouchi questioned.

"Just come on!" Honda pulled his reluctant friend toward a crowd of students gathered around the outside of the school gates. Jounouchi followed, his curiosity getting the better of him. Jounouchi, Honda and Otogi fought their way through the crowds of students and finally made it to the other side.

Then Jounouchi saw it and his mouth dropped open.

Sitting there on the side of the road was a long black limousine, its widows tinted so one could not see inside them. On the side of the luxury car was the logo: KC.

"Oh god… it can't be…" Jounouchi mouthed. He wouldn't come _now_? Not in front of Jounouchi's own school? The bastard wouldn't be that tactless, would he?

"Jounouchi?" Otogi asked worried and his friend's strange behavior. Without a word to Honda and Otogi, Jounouchi marched out of the crowd and walked up to the back door of the car and knocked loudly on the black plastic-glass window.

"I know you're in there, you bastard!" he cried. The audience, who had gathered around behind him, gaped openly as the window was suddenly rolled down revealing Kaiba Seto's cool expressionless face.

"About time you showed up. I was about to call crowd control," Kaiba snapped coldly, his blue eyes immediately trapping Jounouchi's brown ones. Jounouchi had forgotten how intense they could become. His throat froze for a moment. Some weird unexplainable emotion was wriggling in his gut, was it anticipation? Had he really not seen for Kaiba that long? The time they had been apart seemed to disappear in an instant. Kaiba's eyes narrowed under his neatly combed smooth brown hair. "What? You want an invitation? Get in the car, idiot," he ordered harshly.

"You show up, without notice, and just _expect_ me to go with you?" Jounouchi grumbled crossing his arms over his chest stubbornly.

"Is this time inconvenient for you?" Kaiba questioned coldly. Jounouchi looked slightly flustered.

"Well… no, but you could have called or something, you know give me a heads up instead of parking in front of my freaking school!" Jounouchi snapped. Kaiba raised an eyebrow doubtfully.

"It got your attention, didn't it? And I'm here. So stop standing around and get in the car, idiot." Jounouchi flared up again.

"Would you stop with the insults already, you bastard!" Jounouchi spat but grabbed a hold of the limousine's door handle anyway and yanked the door open. He could see Kaiba's full outfit now, complete with a long white trench coat with large metal buttons, a long sleeve black turtleneck underneath and tight metal arm bands that went the length of his wrist to his elbow. The whole thing gave off a rigid powerful stuck up air. "Rather showoff-ie, isn't it? You design that yourself?" Jounouchi commented.

Kaiba's face made an irritable scowl. "Just get in," he snapped coolly.

"Ah… Jounouchi," a voice spoke from behind him. Jounouchi turned to see Honda and Otogi still standing there, not to mention the rest of the entire student body, looking quite confused and suspicious.

"What?" Jounouchi asked, the limo's door half open so one could see the black leather clad interior. Honda and Otogi looked at each other then back that their clueless friend.

"Can we have a word with you?" Honda hissed, hazel eyes flicking secretively over to Kaiba.

"Why?" Jounouchi asked confused, but Honda and Otogi both grabbed one of his arms and dragged him a few feet away from the limo. "What's with you guys?" Jounouchi questioned, shrugging off Honda's grip on his shoulder.

"I don't know if you know this but you were about to get into a car with _Kaiba_," Otogi said.

"Ah… yeah," Jounouchi said obviously. Honda and Otogi stared at him intently; looking both very shocked and betrayed. 

"Jounouchi, that's Kaiba! _Kaiba_! The guy who used to torture you in the hospital, _remember_?" Honda cried and as usual blowing things way out of proportion.

"Yeah, I know," Jounouchi answered, feeling a little annoyed now that his two best friends had him cornered. "He's, ah… doing me a favor…" he explained awkwardly. Honda's and Otogi's skepticism increased.

"Doing you a favor?" Otogi repeated incredulously.

"Well, he sort of owes me a favor…" Jounouchi said vaguely.

"He _owes_ you a favor?" Honda repeated unbelievingly.

"Yeah, he does!" Jounouchi said challengingly. "So what?"

"What's he doing for you?" Otogi questioned. Frustration was building up in Jounouchi's brain; he could only take so many useless questions.

"He's just driving me somewhere, alright?" Jounouchi blurted out.

"Where is he driving you?" Honda asked, eyes narrowed.

"Why are you guys freaking interrogating me?" Jounouchi snapped.

"We wouldn't have to ask if you had told us he was coming in the first place!" Honda argued bitterly.

"I didn't even know he was coming!" Jounouchi cried exasperated.

"How could you not know he was coming if he's doing you a favor?" Otogi questioned logically. Jounouchi's jaw clenched firmly. This was getting ridiculous.

"Could you hurry it up, idiot?" Kaiba snapped from the limo, glaring at the three of them distastefully.

"Just hold on!" Jounouchi shouted angrily over his shoulder at the billionaire then immediately turning back to Honda and Otogi. "Look he's just driving me to Yugi's house, it's not a big deal!" Honda's and Otogi's attitudes suddenly changed. They both looked slightly stunned, their anger vanishing.

"You're going to see Yugi?" Otogi asked, bright green eyes widening.

"Yeah," Jounouchi answered, his frustration settling down again. Honda and Otogi glanced at each other one last time then looked back at Jounouchi a new determination glowing in their eyes.

"We're coming!" Honda demanded. Jounouchi jumped nearly two feet backwards.

"You what? But," he looked Honda and Otogi over again suspiciously, "I thought you guys didn't like Yugi?" Jounouchi questioned darkly, eyes narrowing. Honda and Otogi seemed to grow uncomfortable.

"Well… you know, after our fight, we sorta talked about it and," Honda paused. "If you still believe in him, Jounouchi, then hell so do I." Honda said almost fiercely. "Right, Otogi?" Otogi hesitated, fidgeting slightly.

"Well, I'm curious," Otogi admitted, shrugging. "That story you told us about when you helped Yugi and those other guys escape from hospital was very… extra-ordinary." Jounouchi scowled.

"So you want to gawk at him, is that it?" Jounouchi challenged fiercely.

"No," Otogi protested. "I _never_ didn't like Yugi, you know that Jounouchi. I was just… well, can you blame me after seeing him do that?" Otogi asked.

"And where was all this understanding that last time huh?" Jounouchi growled moodily.

"Come on, Jounouchi. We already said we were sorry," Honda said.

"We all said things we didn't mean that day," Otogi insisted. Jounouchi frowned darkly but he could tell they were sincere. Finally the blonde groaned.

"I know," he answered. "Thanks, you guys." Honda and Otogi grinned.

"Alright! Let's get this show on the road, shall we!" Honda cried jumping up into the air and rushing to the limo's already open door before Jounouchi could stop him.

"W-wait, what!" Jounouchi cried. "I never said you could-!"

"Cool, I've never been in a limo before," Otogi said jumping in right after Honda. Jounouchi spun around to the door and saw Kaiba going rigid in his seat, glaring savagely at the two intruders.

"What the hell do you think you are doing!" Kaiba barked harshly, blue eyes glowing lividly.

"We're going too," Honda said stubbornly also crossing his arms over his chest stubbornly. "You're taking Jounouchi, so you'll just have to take us too."

Kaiba's eyes flashed murderously, the billionaire was not pleased. He turned his furious glare onto Jounouchi, still standing slightly stunned outside the car.

"I _never_ agreed to this!" Kaiba snapped, voice hissing through his angrily clenched white teeth.

"I didn't _plan_ to bring them along!" Jounouchi hissed defensively, keeping his voice low so his friends couldn't hear. "They invited themselves!"

"Well then uninvited them," Kaiba ordered. One of his eyebrows was definitely twitching now.

"It's your car," Jounouchi grumbled.

"They're _your_ friends, now get them out of my limo!" he snapped.

"Hey, are we going or not?" Honda asked rudely cutting into Jounouchi's and Kaiba's private conversation. Hot rage was steaming off Kaiba like smoke and Jounouchi had not failed to notice that during their conversation the crowd of students behind them was steadily getting bigger.

"Look," Jounouchi said rushed, lowering his voice so only Kaiba could hear. "We're attracting more attention the longer we sit here. There's nothing we can do about it now, just bring them along." Kaiba's blue eyes flared and then he turned his head sharply away from Jounouchi and glared out his window.

"Whatever," he spat hatefully, refusing to look at any of his guests. Jounouchi felt of twinge of guilt mixing with his hostility towards Kaiba. He really hadn't meant for this to happen. It was supposed to be just him and Kaiba, Jounouchi hadn't predicted Honda and Otogi would have wanted to come along. Jounouchi groaned. This was all messed up. How come nothing ever turned out the way he planned it?

Jounouchi sighed and grudgingly climbed into the limo and sat down on the seat across the bench from Kaiba. Now he was in a bad mood. Why had he ever thought of this stupid plan? He slammed the luxury car door behind him, shutting out the whispers and stares of his fellow students. Jounouchi slumped grouchily in his seat, knees sticking out.

"Did you really have to come to my school in broad daylight, bastard?" Jounouchi questioned grumpily. "The whole school's going to be talking about this for ages."

"Suck it up," Kaiba spat coldly, eyes fixed on the window. Jounouchi sunk further down in his seat, misery squirming within him.

'God, he's really angry at me,' Jounouchi thought, sneaking glares at the stiff CEO beside him. 'But now that I think of it…' A suddenly cloud of suspicion fell over the blonde's thoughts. 'Why is _he_ so angry? I should be the angry one,' Jounouchi pondered, staring at the billionaire. 'It's not like him to get pissed over such a small thing. Sure Honda and Otogi are annoying sometimes but they're not all _that_ bad. Maybe he thinks I asked them to come with me?' Jounouchi wondered skeptically. 'But why? Why would I want them to come…? Does he think I don't want to be alone with him?'

Jounouchi was stunned right out of his depression. He straightened himself up slightly, eyes still staring at his previous roommate intently. Could it be…? Kaiba might have actually _wanted_ to be alone with him too? Had he been counting on their car ride as well?

"So aren't we going to get going?" Honda voiced sharply looking between Jounouchi and the still fuming Kaiba.

"As soon as Jounouchi gives the directions," Kaiba drawled. It took a moment for Jounouchi to come back to his senses and realize that they were talking to him.

"Ah… yeah right," Jounouchi recalled nervously, trying to remember. "I'm pretty sure Yugi said he lived in a town called Domino."

"You're pretty sure?" Otogi questioned suspiciously.

"Hey, you hung out with him as long as I did! I don't see you helping," Jounouchi snapped frustratingly, crossing his arms over his chest. Meanwhile Kaiba pressed an intercom button to talk to the driver.

"We're going to Domino," Kaiba ordered curtly. The limo's engine started and they were off. Honda and Otogi talked to each other most of the trip but on the other side of the car it was dead silent. Kaiba glowering determinedly out the window, Jounouchi could see Kaiba's firm scowl in the reflection of the glass. Jounouchi stayed slumped in his seat, mouth shut, thoughts and suspicions vibrating around in his brain. There was no way he and Kaiba could discuss anything with Honda and Otogi so nearby.

This was all Kaiba's fault. If Kaiba hadn't… _made a move_ on him back at the hospital, Jounouchi wouldn't be so worked up and confused! And if Kaiba hadn't been in one of his bad moods today Jounouchi wouldn't be feeling so miserable. How come every time he tried to give Kaiba a chance it blew up in his face?

'Bastard,' Jounouchi cursed silently. 'Why is he so angry with me? First I managed to seriously tick him off on that phone call and now this! What the hell does he want me to do?' Jounouchi wanted to punch something, mostly Kaiba's stupid face.

"If you were going to be such an ass about it, why did you even bother coming to get me?" Jounouchi grumbled, his bad temper getting the better of him.

"It was part of the deal," Kaiba responded, voice blank and emotionless. "Remember? My rematch with _Yugi_?" Kaiba said humorlessly, blue eyes flicking cruelly towards Jounouchi. Across the car Honda and Otogi discovered a mini bar hidden in between the seats and began to help themselves to the sodas inside. Jounouchi frowned.

"Come on," Jounouchi scoffed. "You're the CEO of our own company. Don't tell me you couldn't have found Yugi's house on your own."

"Yes, that's right," Kaiba admitted coolly. Jounouchi turned towards him confused and was surprised to see Kaiba looking around to meet his eye. "But then, you could have also found an alternative means of getting there, now couldn't you?"

Jounouchi's stomach writhed again, that weird sensation increasing.

"Well, I… I…" Jounouchi began nervously.

"Dude, they even have a tiny ice box in here!" Honda exclaimed. Jounouchi took Honda's interruption as an excuse to glare at his sneakers once more, though he thought he saw Kaiba smirk before turning back to his window.

(-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) (-)

"Kaiba-sama," the driver's voice spoke through the car's speaker system. "We've reached the town of Domino." Kaiba, Otogi and Honda all turned to Jounouchi.

"Where to now?" Otogi asked expectantly.

"Oh, well… I don't really know exactly where his house is," Jounouchi admitted awkwardly.

"You WHAT?" Honda exclaimed.

Kaiba snorted unkindly. Jounouchi's temper grew hot again; he crossed his arms over his chest defensively.

"How are we supposed to find him then?" Otogi asked.

"Ah, he said he lived in a game shop?" Jounouchi suggested helpfully. Honda and Otogi groaned.

Kaiba leaned over, picked up his metal briefcase from the floor and opened it up. There was a small laptop computer inside.

"What was the name of the game shop?" he asked coolly. Jounouchi blinked and tapped the side of his head, thinking.

"Ah… it was some sort of animal… Kame shop, I think," Jounouchi pondered. Kaiba began rapidly typing on his computer. Barely one minute later he stopped.

"The Kame Game Shop," Kaiba said and gave the address to the driver. That was quick. Jounouchi scowled moodily. Kaiba must have planned for that before hand.

The car began to move again. Jounouchi frowned and stared suspiciously at Kaiba as the brunet silently packed his laptop away.

'He really never did need my help,' Jounouchi thought. 'And yet he's still going along with this? Why? What does Kaiba get out of this?'

Kaiba seemed to have sensed someone was watching him for he suddenly looked up and his blue eyes spotted Jounouchi almost immediately. Jounouchi turned quickly away, pretending to be suddenly very interested in whatever Honda and Otogi were talking about.

As the ride continued, Jounouchi kept catching himself watching Kaiba out of the corner of his eye. Honda and Otogi began fighting with the ice pick from the mini bar while Jounouchi's mind was still buzzing. Exactly what did Kaiba think of him? What had he been expecting from this trip?

"You know," Jounouchi spoke casually, leaning into the back of his seat, eyeing Kaiba cautiously. "I bet you're wondering why I'm out of the hospital so early, aren't you? Since my case wasn't supposed to be looked at for another six months, you know," Jounouchi said mildly.

Kaiba remained silent, he might not have been listening.

"It was really strange actually," Jounouchi continued coolly, watching closely for the slightest sign of a reaction. "Apparently someone put in a good word for me with the administration and they moved up my case," Jounouchi explained. "I ended up getting out of the hospital a whole five months earlier than I was supposed to," Jounouchi ended casually.

"How fortunate," Kaiba commented emotionlessly, eyes permanently fixed on the window. Jounouchi frowned in annoyance.

"He must have been pretty high up," Jounouchi pressured. He was looking at Kaiba directly now, golden brown eyes firm and steady. "For the hospital to listen to him. Probably some rich stiff. Though I can't imagine how he could have known about me." Jounouchi's hands tightened at his sides.

'Come on, Kaiba,' Jounouchi ordered silently. 'I'm giving it to you. Say something. React! Look at me!'

Kaiba's eyes glance over at him briefly, measuring the depth of Jounouchi's eyes.

"He probably was," Kaiba admitted cryptically, turning away again. Jounouchi grinned and looked away as well.

"Thanks," Jounouchi whispered so softly he wasn't sure if Kaiba had even heard, but as the limo took a sharp turn, Jounouchi swore he saw the corner of the CEO's mouth twitch.

"We've arrived, Kaiba-sama," the driver spoke and the limo came to a stop outside a small building with a sign saying "Kame Game Shop" beside it. Jounouchi had to tear his eyes away from Kaiba to open the limo's door. All four passengers exited the car. The billionaire had a very strange look in his eyes. Jounouchi could feel his former roommate watching him as the blonde approached the game shop's doors. There was a small sign hanging on the inside of the window. Otogi leaned down to read it.

"It's closed?" read Otogi, confused. "But it's the middle of the day."

"Does that mean we came down here for nothing!" Honda groaned, jiggling the handle in case it happened to have been left unlocked. "Dammit!"

"Maybe there's still someone inside," Jounouchi suggested. "Try knocking." Honda and Otogi shrugged and began to knock loudly on the door.

"Yugi! Hey Yugi! Are you in there!" Otogi and Honda cried. Kaiba who had been hanging back behind the others sighed.

"I'm going to check the back," Kaiba stated then he turned and began to walk around the building. Jounouchi watched him go and then a crazy idea popped into his head as Kaiba turn the corner and walked out of sight.

"Stay here," Jounouchi practically ordered Honda and Otogi and ran after Kaiba.

"Jounouchi what-?" Honda began but his voice was cut off as Jounouchi disappeared behind the corner as well.

There was Kaiba standing at the end of the wall, white trench coat reflecting the light from the bright afternoon sun.

"Kaiba!" Jounouchi shouted, running determinedly to catch up. Surprisingly, Kaiba turned, expression still quite blank. Jounouchi stopped right in front of him, looking up into his unreadable face.

"Jounouchi," Kaiba spoke, giving absolutely no impression of what was behind his indifferent expression.

This was it; Jounouchi had finally gotten Kaiba alone. He was finally going to find out why Kaiba was being such a jerk to him and why he had ever agreed to this stupid trip. He was going to find out why Kaiba was acting so weird. Jounouchi was going to force him to… to…

"Kaiba, I…" Jounouchi's voice died. Kaiba stared blankly down at the blonde, waiting. Jounouchi tried again. "I…" He stopped again.

"Yes?" Kaiba asked impatiently. Jounouchi's mouth was still open, but nothing was coming out. Somehow he had forgotten the most basic human instinct, the need to breathe. It was making his head go all dizzy. The sun was in his eyes; he could feel sweat forming at the sides of his face.

"I… missed you," Jounouchi blurted out rapidly. He was sure by this time his face had turned a sickly red color. Jounouchi knew he sounded stupid even as the words left his mouth. He knew he looked stupid. Since when did Kaiba have so much power over him?

Kaiba's blue eyes widened ever so slightly.

"Really?" His voice was mockingly calm and casual. Kaiba shifted sideways; the sun was behind him, making his hair look all glow-ie and his face dark and mysterious. "How much?"

Jounouchi's throat was tight, his lungs were burning. He needed oxygen! Jounouchi took a gasping breath, kinda like a fish out of water. Kaiba looked as though he hadn't noticed although somehow there seemed to be less and less space between them.

"A lot," Jounouchi gulped, voice as tight as a whisper. Kaiba raised an eyebrow. The guy was so close he was towering over Jounouchi now.

"Good," Kaiba answered shortly.

"G-good?" Jounouchi choked. "Is that all you can say to me, bastard?" He was trying to retain some dignity, though his voice no longer held any strength. Kaiba smirked. Silence consumed them, Jounouchi stared up into Kaiba's face.

"Oh hell," Jounouchi spat and he did the only thing that made sense. He grabbed the collar of Kaiba's white trench coat and pulled the bastard downward into a kiss.

There was a brief second of stillness, neither of them moved. Jounouchi had barely time to register how soft Kaiba's lips were before Jounouchi found himself being violently spun around and slammed up against the wall of the house. The blonde shook the dizziness from his eyes to see Kaiba's fierce blue eyes glowing down at him piercingly, drilling dangerously into his head. For a second Jounouchi was sure Kaiba was going to punch him or something but then once again, Jounouchi found Kaiba's mouth forced onto his for the second time in his life.

"Gffph!" Jounouchi exclaimed, as Kaiba forced his tongue passed Jounouchi's lips. Jounouchi's hands clawed at the fabric of Kaiba's trench coat, fingers slipping on the smooth expensive material as he tried to grab a hold. He was fighting to breathe, Kaiba's body weighting down upon his chest, breath passing furiously through their noses. Jounouchi could feel Kaiba's large metal belt buckle digging painfully into his lower stomach but he didn't dare tell Kaiba this, the billionaire seemed a little too busy at the moment. Kaiba's hands slipped downwards, Jounouchi body shivered as Kaiba slid his hands underneath Jounouchi's upper legs and practically lifting Jounouchi's feet off the ground. Kaiba began sucking on Jounouchi's tongue as he tugged Jounouchi's entire body upward, he was doing something _very_ creative with his pelvis, Jounouchi had to fight to suppress a moan.

"Ah… excuse me?" a dry voice interrupted. It wasn't very loud but Kaiba and Jounouchi heard it and immediately extracted their mouths from the each other's and looked around.

Yugi was standing there, dark red eyes very wide; taking no notice as the watering can he was holding over a pot of flowers proceeded to drown the unfortunate plant. Jounouchi and Kaiba jumped apart, or at least Kaiba did, dropping Jounouchi onto the ground.

"Kaiba!" Jounouchi exclaimed angrily.

"Yugi," Kaiba snarled, blue hate-filled eyes fixed on the newcomer.

"Kaiba," Yugi commented coolly.

"Yugi!" Jounouchi interrupted before a fight could break out. Yugi turned to his friend.

"Jounouchi," he responded mildly.

"This isn't what it looks like!" Jounouchi interjected hastily.

"It isn't?" Yugi questioned, deep ruby eyes twinkling smugly as they flickered between Kaiba and Jounouchi. Kaiba's very glare looked capable of murder. Jounouchi jumped off the ground and rushed over to Yugi's side before Kaiba had a chance to speak.

"Look, Yugi," Jounouchi said seriously, wrapping an arm around Yugi's shoulders and pulling him secretly aside. "You're not going to tell anyone… are you?" Yugi blinked, thinking this over and then glanced back over his shoulder at Kaiba, arms crossed over his chest still fuming with rage.

"Maybe…" Yugi taunted smugly, glaring at Kaiba. The billionaire's eyes flashed.

"If you tell anyone, I'll tell everyone the truth about you," Jounouchi accused fiercely. Yugi turned abruptly back to his friend, shocked.

"What… truth?" Yugi questioned seriously.

"You know…" Jounouchi began, lowering his voice. "About you being an alien," he hissed in his friend's ear. Yugi blinked again confused.

"Jounouchi, I'm not an alien," Yugi responded blankly.

"_Riiiiiiiight_. And you _didn't_ see anything just now either, _did you_?" Jounouchi pressured, elbowing Yugi in the ribs.

Yugi sighed. "Fine, but only for you Jounouchi," he answered, glancing one last time over at Kaiba. Kaiba's form stiffened. Yugi grinned and then turned toward the house. "Aibou! You've got visitors!" he cried into the house.

/Visitors/ a voice within questioned. Jounouchi and Kaiba both jumped as a second Yugi stuck his ghostly head out the back door curiously. /Jounouchi-kun/ the second transparent Yugi cried with absolute delight and bounded out of the house, almost tackling Jounouchi to the ground even though his transparent form carried no weight. Jounouchi cried out in surprise, stumbling to kept his balance. /What's wrong/ Yugi asked as he saw Jounouchi's shocked face.

"Ah… I forgot there were two of you," Jounouchi answered awkwardly, looking nervously between the two Yugis. Yugi grinned apologetically.

/Oh sorry about that./ His wide eyes then spotted the brooding brown haired CEO. /Kaiba-kun too? Wow, this is a surprise/ His wide beaming infectious grin spread.

"And we left Honda and Otogi at the front door," Jounouchi added.

/Really/ Yugi exclaimed. He ran back into the house excitedly. Jounouchi looked around to the first, darker, more serious looking Yugi.

"I guess he's always like this?" Jounouchi joked. Yami no Yugi shrugged, watching his lighter half leave, a tender look in his eye.

"Most of time, but he's also really glad to see you," the darker Yugi answered, walking into the house as well. He flashed a wicked grin at Kaiba and Jounouchi. "Try to control yourselves while you're in my house, alright?" Jounouchi turned bright red, Kaiba looked still more furious as they both entered the house after the dark spirit.

Otogi and Honda were already in the living room when the darker Yugi, Jounouchi and Kaiba arrived. Both their faces were slightly pale, probably still shocked that a completely see-through version of their old friend had just invited them into his house. They jumped once again as this second darker copy of Yugi walked into the room.

/Mou hitori no boku, do we still have some sodas in the fridge/ ghost Yugi asked his darker clone. Yami no Yugi shrugged mildly.

"Maybe," he answered. "I'll go look." Yami no Yugi turned into the kitchen.

"Hey guys!" Jounouchi greeted, a smug glint glowing in his eyes as he sat down on the couch next to Honda and Otogi. Now they both knew the story he had told them was true.

/How did you know where to find us/ Yugi asked curiously, sitting down on the couch excitedly.

"I remembered the name of the town you lived in and the name of your game shop," Jounouchi answered smoothly.

"Although he still had no idea where it actually was," Honda commented coldly. Jounouchi scowled.

"Kaiba tracked your place down on his laptop," Otogi explained.

/I'm so glad you all came/ Yugi said happily. /Its great to see you guys again/ Yami no Yugi had just returned with an armful of soda cans and dumped them all on the coffee table when a rude snort echoed from outside the circle of couches and armchairs.

"I didn't come for some fuzzy reunion," Kaiba spoke suddenly, arms crossed firmly over his chest. "I came for my rematch," he snapped, eyes sharp. The room went quiet. Jounouchi frowned at Kaiba angrily.

'He always has to ruin the mood, doesn't he?' Jounouchi thought.

/Rematch/ Yugi said uneasily. /But…/ He glanced over at his darker half warily. Yami no Yugi's red eyes were fixed harshly on Kaiba.

"I realize my mistake from last time," Kaiba continued, blue eyes targeting Yami no Yugi. "I challenged the wrong Yugi. Am I correct?" Kaiba asked smirking. "You are the one who I faced against in that chess game."

"That's right," Yami no Yugi answered truthfully.

"Then do you accept?" Kaiba questioned harshly. There was a moment of silence; all eyes were on Yami no Yugi.

"You know I never back down from a challenge, Kaiba," Yami no Yugi answered smoothly, eyes flashing dangerously, smirking as well. "Name your game."

"Duel Monsters," Kaiba said. "I assume you're familiar with the game." Yami no Yugi's grin widened.

"Of course," he replied coolly. The others in the room relaxed slightly. Jounouchi grinned.

'God, Kaiba plans for everything,' Jounouchi thought amused. 'Even though we both knew it wasn't about Yugi, he still took advantage of this moment to fight him anyway.'

Yami no Yugi and Kaiba were setting up their decks on table getting ready for the duel when there was the sound of knocking at the door. The transparent Yugi went to answer it as Yami no Yugi and Kaiba sat at opposite ends of the table. Jounouchi sat down in the chair beside Kaiba. The CEO eyed him strangely.

"Aren't you going to be cheering for you friend?" Kaiba asked harshly. Jounouchi grinned mischievously.

"Well, of course. But he's obviously going to win so I thought I might cheer for the underdog this time," Jounouchi taunted cruelly. Kaiba glared him hatefully.

"You still think I'm going to lose, idiot? I'll make you eat your words," Kaiba sneered darkly.

"I'd like that," Jounouchi said, leaning up next to Kaiba. "Ooo, nice hand!" Kaiba glared at him.

"Oh my god!" Yugi cried from the front door. Thinking something was wrong, Yami no Yugi and Jounouchi jumped up from the table and ran to the entranceway to see what was going on.

Yugi was standing there, currently being hugged to death by a dark figure with platinum blonde hair. If it hadn't been for the fact that Yugi still looked ecstatically happy and that he currently had no body to be strangled Jounouchi might have thought his friend was in mortal danger.

"Malik?" Yami no Yugi questioned suspiciously. "What the hell are you doing here? You're supposed to be in Egypt." The dark skinned teenager looked up and grinned impishly, finally letting go of Yugi. Now that Jounouchi could see his face he was sure he recognized him from somewhere.

"We were, but we got bored so we came to visit you!" Malik answered.

"We?" Jounouchi questioned Yami no Yugi suspiciously. Malik's bright violet eyes landed on Jounouchi.

"I think I remember you," Malik pondered pointing at Jounouchi, brow furrowed as he tried to remember. "Yami, where have we seen him before?"

/How should I know/ a deep dark low voice answered. Jounouchi jumped as a dark sinister clone of Malik stepped into the light. Jounouchi had been mistaking him for a patch of shadows in the corner. /He doesn't look familiar to me…/ His pale light-less eyes searched Jounouchi's face, making the blonde shiver convulsively. He suddenly remembered where he had seen those eyes before.

"Y-you almost strangled me, back at the hospital," Jounouchi answered nervously, taking a small step behind Yami no Yugi.

"That's right! He was that guy who showed us the way out," Malik recalled. "You tried to kill him, remember?"

/God, it was so long ago, I can't remember everyone I try to kill/ Yami no Malik sneered, mad pale eyes glistening.

/Come on, lets go into the living room and you can meet the others/ Yugi urged, pushing both Maliks toward the living room. /That's Kaiba, of course. Do you remember him? He was with Jounouchi, that's Jounouchi by the way/ Yugi explained.

"Oh yeah, I remember him. The angry guy," Malik said, pointing to Kaiba, who was still sitting at the coffee table and scowling irritably.

"Clearly I'm sure," Kaiba growled curtly. "Can we please continue our game?" he spat at Yami no Yugi.

/I don't like him/ Yami no Malik hissed at Malik, glaring darkly at Kaiba.

"And that's Honda and Otogi over there on the couch, you've never met them but they were patients in the mental hospital too," Yugi said.

"Holy shit! Who's red 2005 Yamaha SR125 is that?" Honda exclaimed, spotting a motorcycle parked outside the game shop.

"All mine," Malik answered, with a smug step forward. "Isn't she hot?"

"I've always wanted one of those!" Honda exclaimed, practically drooling. "All I've got is my dad's Harley, it's like five years old!"

"Disgusting, not to mention American," Malik commented. Yami no Malik looked like he was about to murder Honda for bringing up the subject of motorcycles.

"We each start with 4000 life points," Kaiba said, drawing five cards from his deck.

"Kaiba, I think I know how to play," Yami no Yugi said coolly. He caught Yugi's eye and smirked.

"Very well, show me how it's done," Kaiba mocked unkindly.

"I plan to," Yami no Yugi promised. There was more knocking at the door.

"I'll get it!" Yugi said excitedly and ran to the front door.

"I play Blade Knight and two cards face down," Kaiba said, placing his cards on the field. "I end my turn."

"Hey, look who's here!" Yugi cried, dashing into the living room again, and dragging along a skinny white haired teenager.

"Hi everyone," Ryou greeted, smiling cheerfully and giving a small awkward wave. "Wow, there sure are a lot of people here…"

"This is Bakura Ryou," Yugi introduced. "He was the unconscious guy when we were escaping."

"Ryou-kun!" Malik cried immediately abandoning Honda to tackle his old friend. "I didn't know you'd be here!"

"Neither did I. I thought you two were in Egypt," Ryou said.

"We were but it was so _miserable_ without you," Malik answered, hugging Ryou enthusiastically from the side. "This is so great! I missed you!"

/Hopefully not too much/ Yami no Malik growled, pale eyes glowering deathly at Ryou. Malik gave his dark side a look but released Ryou just the same.

"So, how are you? Did you find your father?" Malik asked. Ryou's smile faltered slightly.

"Things are good, better than they were a month ago. Tou-san is actually off working aboard so I'm staying here," Ryou explained. Malik looked surprised.

"All alone?" Malik asked and then suddenly caught himself. "Well… I suppose not all alone, huh?" Malik gave Ryou a cautious look. "How are… ah, you two doing? He's not making your life hell, is he? Cause we could go over there and beat him up if you wanted," Malik offered.

"What? Oh no! He's great!" Ryou answered much more enthusiastically this time. "Almost burned down the apartment building with a toaster oven but its all better now." Malik and Yami no Malik exchanged dark looks.

"He's _great_?" Malik repeated doubtfully.

/A toaster oven/ Yami no Malik spat suspiciously.

"And that allows me to activate this Trap Card," Yami no Yugi announced, flipping over a card. "Which not only stops your attack but destroys your monster."

"_What_?" Kaiba cried angrily.

/I'll see if I can find anything to eat/ Yugi offered and went back into the kitchen. He had just turned around the corner when Yugi almost ran into Yami no Bakura, leaning up against the wall of the hallway. /Bakura/ Yugi cried surprised. The transparent white haired soul didn't even look at him. /Sorry! I, um, didn't see you there./ Yami no Bakura grunted, black eyes fixed on living room where the crowd of guests stood talking. Yugi walked awkwardly passed him, eyeing the dark soul cautiously.

'What am I supposed to say to him? Last time I talked to him he tried to kill us…' Yugi thought nervously. But it looked as Yami no Bakura hadn't even noticed Yugi was there.

/You could, ah, go out and greet people/ Yugi suggested, looking through the cupboard for chips. Yami no Bakura snorted.

/Right. And I'm sure they'd all be happy to see me too/ Yami no Bakura hissed. Yugi nodded reluctantly. /Yadonushi wanted to come and see you, not me. Its better if I just stay here./

In the other room they could both hear a loud outbreak of laughter from Jounouchi and Malik was talking very animatedly to Ryou. Yami no Bakura's form suddenly stiffened. Yugi glanced over the counter, through the dark hallway to see Malik putting an arm over Ryou's shoulders, much to Yami no Malik's distaste as well. Yugi hid his smile by bending down to get a bowel from a lower cabinet.

/He seems happy/ Yugi commented casually. /He must really like you./ Yami no Bakura actually turned his head to glare at Yugi this time. Yugi couldn't stop himself from smiling.

At that exact moment the door on the opposite side of the kitchen opened and Yami no Malik walked in. He spotted Yami no Bakura right away.

/_You_/ he growled, pale white eyes widening. Yami no Bakura's bland expression remained unchanged. The lights in the kitchen seemed to dim and air vibrated violently as the two dark souls' glares struck one another, shadow power was coursing through the walls.

"Yami! What the hell are you doing?" Malik cried walking to the kitchen but he too immediately stopped short at seeing Yami no Bakura standing there. "Oh," Malik said, voice sharp. "What the hell are _you_ doing here?"

/Where the Ring goes, I go. Surely your little servant boy would know that/ Yami no Bakura said cruelly, eyes flickering over to Yami no Malik. Yami no Malik seemed to get angrier and Malik was not going to stop him anytime soon.

_Aibou, is something happening in there?_ Yami no Yugi called through the mind link.

_Oh yeah,_ Yugi answered.

"Would you excuse me for one moment, Kaiba? I have to see to something," Yami no Yugi said in the other room. /You tried to kill us for your own profit, _bastard_/ Yami no Malik snarled, veins popping out of the side of his face. 

"Really? Was that what I was doing? I had no idea…" Yami no Bakura mocked nastily. The shadow magic throbbed again.

_Mou hitori no boku…_ Yugi called uneasily.

The door was slammed open and Yami no Yugi stepped in, faint golden light glowing around his form. 

"Now I realize we have some unsatisfied conflicts here, but carry them out on your own time. Not in my house!" Yami no Yugi snapped threateningly.

/We don't take orders from you/ Yami no Malik snapped, the air around him vibrating.

"What's going on?" a voice asked curiously and Ryou entered the room behind Yami no Yugi. He looked around the room questioningly with his brown eyes, white hair swinging. "Why is everyone in the kitchen?" There was silence; the shadow power had suddenly froze. Yugi and his dark side exchanged uneasy glances. Malik and Yami no Malik were still glaring hatefully at Yami no Bakura but the darker half of Bakura had his eyes on his lighter half, standing puzzled in the entrance way. Finally Yami no Bakura stepped back, the amount of shadow power in room dropped as he released his with a reluctant sigh.

/You're not worth my time/ Yami no Bakura growled and walked out of the room.

"Calm down you two or I really will throw you out," Yami no Yugi ordered Malik and Yami no Malik sternly. Malik frowned and put the Sennen Rod back into his belt.

"Come on," Malik urged his darkness, hooking an arm around his waist. "Let's go find a dark corner, shall we?" Yami no Malik scowled.

/You just want to make out to distract me, don't you/ Yami no Malik growled suspiciously, letting himself be wheeled around none the less.

"Yep," Malik said cheerfully as they both disappeared.

"There's a conversation I never want to hear again," Yami no Yugi groaned, shivering. "Does everyone have to do stuff in _my_ house?"

Yugi looked confused. /Who else has/ he asked warily. Yami no Yugi flinched.

_You weren't supposed to know that,_ Yami no Yugi said silently. Then, almost unintentionally, the memory of Jounouchi and Kaiba shot right out of Yami no Yugi's head and straight into Yugi's.

Yugi's purple eyes widened to the size of dinner plates before he shrieked/They were WHAT/

"Oops," Yami no Yugi gulped guiltily.

"Who?" Ryou asked, still confused cause no one would answer his questions.

"YUGI!" Jounouchi shouted angrily from the living room.

"Gotta go," Yami no Yugi said and dived into the other room. Yugi was still recovering while Ryou stood there politely waiting for Yugi to regain his balance.

"So… what just happened?" Ryou asked. "With Malik and my yami…?"

/Nothing much, you just saved the day without meaning to again/ Yugi answered mildly.

"Oh." Ryou nodded in understanding. "That seems to happen a lot nowadays, doesn't it?"

Yugi shrugged. "I guess."

* * *

>>>>>>>>>>>

**THE END**

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

* * *

There you go. You all get to see all the characters again, one… last… time… (more crying) 

Why did I bring Otogi and Honda back? I don't even really like Honda and Otogi that much. Probably make things more difficult for Jounouchi and Kaiba. Mwahahahaha.

I love Yami no Malik in this chapter. He's all, "I'm fucking bad-ass. Don't cross me, bitch" and Malik's all over the place happy especially on Ryou. Teehee, jealousy is fun. Oh don't worry you all's pretty little heads, there's nothing but platonic feelings between Ryou and Malik. I just like making Bakura and Yami Malik freak out.

Poor Ryou, he's so oblivious. And poor Bakura, he's so… you know, hated.

My blood relation says my ending sucks. Why is that? I like my ending. I think it's cute. And I know JounouchixKaiba fans love it. Or at least they should.

I'm sad that it's over because I haven't finished my new one yet and I'll have nothing to update in the next two weeks. (cries) And I'm not exactly close to being finished with it either. I'm making things to complicated for myself. (sigh)

But since you guys are so neat and awesome I'll give you the summery I came up with for my story called "**Contamination**":

"AU Purity is cherished among Higher Beings. Those that are tainted are scorned. Angels, Bakura, Yugi and Kaiba and Demons, Ryou, Atemu and Jounouchi are sent on a mission. But the human world is notorious for seducing those who stay too long. YAOI YY RB SJ MB"

Tickles your interest, no? Hopefully so. It's like so unbelievingly different from this one, like someone else wrote it or something. I've been working on it a _really_ long time. Not as long as I've been working on Padded Cells but still. It's almost as long as Padded Cells already but I'm still not done. I'm worried.

Anyways.

All you people who have been following the story and _not_ **REVIEWING**, need to, you know, _get moving_! Pick up the slack! Take your freaking hand and move that mouse like an inch and click the "**SUMBIT REVIEW**" button! Seriously. (points at guilty persons) I _know_ you're out there. I know more than you think I do, scary isn't it?

So yeah, you all nice wonderful people who actually **REVIEW** every once in a while need to show the lazy guys how it's done. I love you all. I really can't say that enough, honestly.

**REVIEW!**

So, lazy bums! Yeah, you! You, sitting right there! (points) You think I don't know where you live? Mwahahahahahaha…

**REVIEW!**

**REVIEW!**

**REVIEW!**

**REEEVIIIIEEEW PLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEASE! **(big sad watery Yugi-Ryou-Jounouchi-puppy eyesof sadness andpleading)

And once more for good measure...

**REVEIW!**


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